The Sentinel

Super

I re- familiarized myself with the word “sentinel .” According to my third college edition, Websters New World Dictionary, it is a person or animal set to guard a group. It’s never even mentioned in the political action thriller, just defined by Pete Garrison, secret service agent assigned to the president .

It’s good to see Douglas back in the acting game after a brief hiatus. His age is showing a bit, but that certainly has not hampered his thespian skills and like his Garrison he’s a seasoned veteran many novices can learn much from . He’s dedicated to his craft.

    The Sentinel is built on the premise that in 141 years there has never been a traitor in the U.S. Secret Service- until now. It’s plain traditional espionage in the vein of John Le Carre or Robert Ludlum that keeps you on edge and is fun to watch, particularly when you unsure about who the bad guy really is.

               Garrison has been unquestionably loyal to the service (despite his re-curring dreams of taking a bullet for president Reagan) and is regarded as a hero/legendto many of his peers. There is however one betrayal  I won’t spoil that would take balls of cast iron to even think about. And Garrison just does it without thinking . It may not be as shocking to others as it was to me, but it still takes heart.

               Obviously this makes him a perfect target for blackmail and set up. It begins with some disturbing photos delivered to his cubicle. When the blackmailer calls to set up an “appointment”, Garrison rushes out, his suspicious activities being monitored because, unfortunately, it coincides with an on going investigation to kill the president.

         David Breckinridge (24’s Keifer Sutherland) has been heading up the inquiry. He’sGarrison’s former protégé - and former friend because of a personal situation that occurred some years ago. He is assisted by an un- Desperate Housewives like Eva Longoria  in the likable role of agent Jill Marin who even manages to dress un-provocatively.

                Mounting evidence of treason leads Breckinridge to Garrison who immediately denies all of it. In fact he’s so sure of his innocence, he escapes the agents rummaging through his home in a violent melee in an attempt to clear himself. From there it’s a cat and mouse game where you wonder who is who due to Garrison’s years of experience.

                 Being an avid fan of the Fox hit series 24, I immediately saw parallels between Sutherland’s Breckinridge and Jack Bauer, even in the trailer. Isn’t this the same role? Not totally. While Breckinridge is truly dedicated to the job, Bauer is  more relentless.   Other 24 enthusiasts will surely see this especially in one taut state of affairs where he draws his weapon.

                 Fellow Philadelphian director Clark Johnson fervently explores some of the personal and professional ups and downs of  his principal characters as he did so well in his 2003 remake of S.W.A.T. Working from George Nolfi’s ( Timeline , Ocean’s Twelve) polished script adaptation of Gerald Petievich’s novel, he merges action and drama with poise, not neglecting one for the other. His choice of Kim Basinger as the first lady adds a zesty complication both dangerous and amusing.