Starring: Sean Astin, John Cirigliano, Clotilde Courau, Jim Curley, Ryan Cutrona Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Paramount Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: August 29, 2000 Running Time: 101 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 10, 2000
Amazon.com: Deterrence offers a welcome throwback to such sweaty-palmed chamber pieces as Fail-Safe and Twelve Angry Men, and in his debut as writer-director, Rod Lurie, a West Point graduate and former film critic, has crafted a taut, one-set drama that would have been ideal for live television. With its provocative what-if scenario and a sharp cast confined to a claustrophobic space, this movie's more clever than coherent, but it grabs your attention for 103 briskly paced minutes.
The year is 2008, and U.S. President Walter Emerson (Kevin Pollak) has something to prove. He wasn't elected (he took office upon the death of the previous president), and he needs a pivotal boost in a current primary election. While he and his entourage are trapped under heavy snowfall in a tiny Colorado diner, Emerson must decide whether to unleash a nuclear arsenal on the son of Saddam Hussein, who has invaded Kuwait and taken hundreds of American lives. With his chief of staff (Timothy Hutton), top advisers, and a cluster of terrified diners, Emerson sorts through his options as tensions come to a boil.
This all works well on the surface, and Deterrence gains depth by depicting a president who is potentially as evil as his unseen enemy. But the film is almost fatally vague (clearly Lurie wants viewers to bring their own interpretation to these events) and ends with a twist that's too contrived to be dramatically satisfying. Until that point, however, Deterrence will certainly keep you engaged. --Jeff Shannon
Refreshing! I gave this movie a well deserved 5 stars as it proves that you certainly do not need big names and a big budget to make an intelligent, first class movie. I stumbled accross it by chance about a year ago whilst at home in the evening watching T.V. I'd never heard of it before which is most unusual seeing I consider myself to be a huge movie fanatic. It's like when you watch a horror movie and you never quite get to see the killers face, far more scary. Same principal here as you never go face to face with the enemy, or see any dramatic special effects which often are way over the top and don't look very realistic. Instead, you are left with your imagination of the true horror of what could quite possibly happen. The twist at the end is perhaps a bit far fetched, but who cares, I loved it. Fast paced, tense, gripping, unpredictable and all set in a diner - Bizzare!
Movie Arrived promptly.Thank you. Fantastic movie. Bunch of liberal critics gave it bad reviews as it puts forth a cold hard option in stopping war. I hope it is an option we never use!
Great Political Movie I saw this movie years ago, before our involvement in our current sturggles in Afganistan and Iraq. The movie is good, but the ending makes it great - I love when movies do that! After watching again, was interesting to see how Iraq and our current struggles relate. If you like to keep up on politics, this is a good movie to watch.
Deterrence An OUTSTANDING film, and I dare say no more because I don't think you'll publish it. It should be shown on prime-time TV and ACLU, Islamic Societies, or whoemever be darned!. The colors of our flag do NOT run - that is what this film is all about.
Great Movie! Almost phrophecy fulfilled!!! WoW! I first saw this movie when it released and thought it was an above average drama even then. However, after seeing it again recently, I realize that it was very forward thinking and ahead of its time as well. It was right on regarding the current Iraq situation, and is actually quite realistic regarding policy in a post-911 world. Kevin Pollack is very believable as a non-elected President, and the 'Diner-esque' way the movie is filmed works well within this type of a drama. If you like dramas about war and politics and also like intrigue, watch this movie
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