In The Line of Fire
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 Before there was Air Force One, there was this one.
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In the Line of Fire is a 1993 American political action thriller film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, and Rene Russo. Written by Jeff Maguire, the film is about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him.
Plot
Frank, a Secret Service agent, fails to protect Kennedy from an assassination attempt back on November 22, 1963. Soon enough, he gets a chance at redemption when another president's life is under threat.
Why It Rocks
- The idea of a film of a former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him is original. Something that was inspired by John F. Kennedy's assassin in 1963.
- Clint Eastwood absolutely gave amazing performances as Agent Frank Horrigan.
- In addition, Agent Frank Horrigan is a likable, and memorable protagonist.
- The soundtrack was composed by Ennio Morricone.
- Mitch Leary is an amazing villain that his attempted to kill the US President and Frank Horrigan.
- Amazing directing by Wolfgang Petersen, who would later direct Air Force One in 1997, four years later.
- Good acting, especially for Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, and Gary Cole.
- Well done written by Jeff Maguire.
- Nice cinematography.
- Great action sequences, such as the chase scene on the roof, and even the epic final climactic scene at the roof at the Bonaventure Hotel.
- The ending is great, Frank Horrigan is finally now a hero (though he retired) and he and Raines find a farewell message from Leary on Horrigan's answering machine.
Reception
The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike. It holds a 96% rating with a "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 71 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. The site's consensus states: "A straightforward thriller of the highest order, In the Line of Fire benefits from Wolfgang Petersen's taut direction and charismatic performances from Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich." Metacritic scores a film a 74/100 based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Trivia
- President Bill Clinton praised the film. Unsure if this endorsement would help or hurt the film, Peterson decided against using his quotes to market the film.
