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Spartan 2004 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by David Mamet
R, 106 min. (violence, language) |
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Starring: Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, Tia Texada, William H. Macy, Ed O'Neill, Kristen Bell
Producers: David Bergstein, Moshe Diamant, Art Linson
Screenplay: David Mamet
Cinematography: Juan Ruiz Anchia
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Released: 3.12.04 (Wide) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
It doesn't take long to know you're watching a David Mamet film, so calculated and intelligent is the dialogue and the immersive
characters. A brilliant playwright, Mamet has been sharing his unique gift for the spoken word in film ever since his first
masterpiece, The House of Games. The films that followed - Homicide, Glengarry Glen Ross (screenplay),
The Spanish Prisoner, Wag the Dog (screenplay), Ronin (screenplay), The Winslow Boy, State and Main, Heist -
are a litany of an artist at the top of his game. He's always been one of the more underrated filmmakers over the last decade,
and with his latest effort, the razor-sharp political thriller Spartan, he's fashioned of the better Special Ops adventures
in many years. His films are not for those who must be spoonfed each plot point; his work evokes a fog that slowly clears
to reveal an ingenius and intricate storyline. Mamet challenges the viewer to keep up, plunging them headlong into a
tautly-paced drama whose characters do not stop to explain their actions; it's as if we're a fly on the wall, merely eavesdropping
on what is taking place. And when the conclusion is reached, we look back to the beginning and realize the reward was in
the journey.
The movie drops the audience into a meatgrinder of desperation and panic, as the president's daughter, Laura Newton (Kristen Bell),
has been kidnapped by Middle Easterners involved in a slave trade of young white girls. Special forces operative Scott (Val Kilmer in one of his best roles)
interrupts his training of two apprentrices - Curtis (Derek Luke) and Jackie (Tia Texada) - to assist in the search and
rescue mission entrusted to Special Agent Burch (Ed O'Neill) and White House operative Stoddard (William H. Macy).
Soon Scott and Curtis (given a chance to prove himself) are hot on the trail of Laura's abductors, but a surprise awaits
their investigation. In typical Mamet fashion, the viewer has no idea what will happen next.
Suffice to say there are several twists and unexpected turns that baffle both the characters and the audience that is along
for the ride. In the process, Mamet has made a thinly-veiled slap at the corruption of politicians at the highest levels of
government. His cynical approach to the win-at-all-costs attitudes of many elected officials is striking but also sad; it
works here because the film requires such immorality, yet one can't help but wonder if this sort of thing has happened before.
Mamet's insightful screenplay juxtaposes personal revelation and self-realization with spy thriller elements that put other
similar efforts to shame. Notice the absence of special effects or grandiose locales; no such glitz is needed when story
and characters are more interesting than the background.
The characters here all have an agenda, but Scott lives by the "worker bee" motto, learning long ago that the best course
of action is simply doing what you're told. The film is about personal conscience and courage in the face of determined
adversaries. As Scott pulls back the curtain to reveal the truth, his biggest decision is to have the fortitude to even care.
As the relatively scar-less Curtis purports his belief in doing the right thing, it's Scott's gradual reemergence from
the abyss of moral relativity that eventually saves him. Mamet reveals his characters with stubborn resistance, allowing
a word here or a glance there to formulate their trajectory; it's to his credit that the viewer still isn't quite sure what
Scott will do until he takes the final plunge.
The cast is well chosen and in perfect unison with Mamet's steady hand. Kilmer's stoic gravitas lends the type of results
that haven't been reached since his Tombstone performance, while Macy gives yet another measured effort.
Luke and Texada are competent, and Bell has a nice turn as a frightened, emotionally devastated kidnap victim.
Spartan has such intelligence and respect for its audience that it's difficult to dislike. As the viewer is rewarded
for each bit of information discerned, the film becomes an authentic step-by-step discovery of the best and worst of
human nature. At a time when conventional thrillers spell out every nuance well in advance of the punch line, Spartan
stands as a towering achievement in the art of crafting collaborative cinema.
© 2004 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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