Supreme Sanction (1999)

A Cinematic Warning About Governmental Abuse of Power

Essentially, Supreme Sanction is about abuse of power. A clandestine U.S. government agency called Alpha Section is engaged in Counter Terrorism or CT. The government has been cutting back on funding for counter terrorism (you can tell this was made before September 11th, 2001) and the administrators of Alpha Section come to the conclusion that if their agency's funding is ever going to be restored to its previous high level, then the agency is going to have to create a domestic terrorism scare by engaging in terrorism itself.

The movie begins with a helicopter belonging to an alleged terrorist group in Arizona shooting down a National Guard chopper. Another guard helicopter then shoots down the terroristic copter. In the ensuing investigation, the lead investigator starts to come close to the truth about the alleged terrorist group and just who is behind it and Alpha Section reacts by having one of its top assassins, Jenna (Kristy Swanson) kill him off. This assassination not only removes a threat to the agency's agenda, but it also helps further a domestic terrorism scare in the country.

However, unknown to the Alpha Section higher-ups, Jenna became disenchanted with her job once she realized the full implications of the hit. When the agency tasks her to assassinate award winning TV investigative reporter Jordan McNamara (David Dukes), her feelings towards her employers come to a boil and she rescues him from a certain death. Both Jenna and McNamara are subjected to a harrowing chase by terroristic government agents who will stop at nothing to kill them off.

Eventually, they make their way to the secret hideout of the "invisible man" Marcus (Donald Faison) who is a scientific genius of the first order. Marcus helps Jenna and McNamara craft a plan aimed at both eliminating as many government thugs as they can as well as exposing the evil Alpha Section as the out of control agency that it really is.

While the above may sound like a farfetched plot, the way that this movie is executed, it is a well done action thriller and it actually holds up to repeated viewings. The acting is very good especially by Swanson, Faison and Ron Perlman in the role of the chief administrator of Alpha Section. Of all the main actors, only Michael Madsen turns in a poor showing. February 25, 2006

Not bad at all.

A government assassin develops the most deadly weapon of all...a conscience.

A government assassin (Kristy Swanson) refuses to kill a reporter (David Dukes) and instead teams up with him to break the story of corruption in her agency, all the while being hunted by her ex-superior (Michael Madsen) and protected by her good natured "gadget man" (Donald Faison).

This is an above average TV movie that's simply fun to watch.

Be on the lookout for Ron Perlman as "the-iceman-cometh" bad guy looking through the world with rose colored glasses. January 19, 2005

Great movie with vision into the future and political hints

A scaring movie if you look at the story line. Considering the parallels to the Bush administrations plots happening, after this movie was made. It is just amazing, how the director of the movie came up with this. I really wonder why this movie was not stronger promoted in The United States. This one really makes you think about the consequences of a fashist government, silencing citizens and news reporters, up to execution of very critical citizens. Just in order to justify the maintaining of certain government agencies. (Did I hear Homeland Security and The Patriot Act?) It is a fast paced and thrilling, sometimes bone chilling movie, if you actually put in the effort, to look beyond the fact of entertaining yourself. It is so real, that it could play in the middle of the current United States of America today. This movie is definately one, which you will enjoy, if you are a critical, politically involved and educated individual, who wants more than the shoot 'em all up terminator style movie. January 16, 2004

Not bad, but rather Deja Vu.

This is really a shame. Supreme Sanction is a fast-moving, enjoyable action thriller, but so much of it has been copied from other movies. The 'assassin refuses to shoot and becomes a target himself' theme is straight out of Replacement Killers. The 'Government agency fakes terrorist attack to get more funding' comes out of Long Kiss Goodnight' and the helicopter stunts that open the movie are the same footage I saw in Firebirds. This said, Supreme Sanction is a well acted movie with a good script. Madsen an Swanson do an interesting 'good killer/bad killer routine' and the score and effects were quite decent. A pity they could not get a more original story. May 9, 2000

Entertaining, especially the commentary special feature.

I save the movie on DVD and really enjoyed it. However, I like it even more watching it a second time with the candid commentary by Michael Madsen and the director. They are hilarious. They don't just talk about the movie, there are other personal tid bits that you get from Michael. He should commentate on all of his future movies that come out on DVD. November 20, 1999

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