Spartan (2004)

Writer-director David Mamet (House of Games, The Spanish Prisoner) applies his gift for con games to the world of politics with Spartan. A super-duper Secret Service agent (Val Kilmer, Wonderland) is assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of the President of the United States; was she kidnapped because of who she is, or as part of white slavery ring? Is she dead or alive? To find out the answers, Kilmer puts on disguises, engages in elaborate ruses, and kills ruthlessly--only to discover that he himself may be the one being fooled. Mamet pushes his macho/cryptic dialogue into laughably bad territory and some plot twists seriously test one's suspension of disbelief, but that's part of the game; like any con artist, Mamet knows how to hook you and reel you in, no matter how absurd things get. Also featuring Derek Luke, William H. Macy, and Ed O'Neill. --Bret Fetzer Amazon.com

Ok

For some reason David Mamet has been wildly overpraised as 1st a playwright, then a filmmaker. This is not to say that he's not good, & better than typical playwrights & filmmakers, just that he's not nearly as good as others think he is. Spartan is a good example of typical Mamet- better than your typical thriller, yet still missing something.
The film stars the up & down Val Kilmer as a man named Scott- 1 of the peripatetic Men In Black sorts who freelance dangerous work for assorted government agencies. The thrust of the film is the mother of all urban legends- that many pretty, white (especially blond) young women, are kidnapped off the streets & sold into white slavery overseas. While, on occasions, there have been cases of this, they occur once per decade. More usually American girls who hook overseas do so by choice because the country they practice in has legalized prostitution. This film, however, ties white slavery in with the current anti-Moslem paranoia. I'm as anti-Moslem as the next American (as well anti-all religions), but the plot of the film is absurd. The daughter, Laura Newton (Kristin Bell), of a powerful political figure (of unknown rank) has been kidnapped. Scott goes through a series of seemingly related, but mostly red herring, adventures that sees 2 of his sometime partners killed, Curtis (Derek Luke), & sexy Jackie Black (Tia Texada). The daughter's disappearance can only be covered up so long before the media will have at it, yet it may be the politician wanted his daughter to be kidnapped. A cover story that she drowned at sea is concocted.... Overall, I'd say take a pass & watch the original The Manchurian Candidate. At least there the good & bad are delineated. In Spartan gray is its rapture, & what forms it no rainbow.
September 18, 2008

SCINTILLATING POLITICAL LIVEWIRE

It's hard to figure the film audiences of today. That this slick political thriller would go pear shaped at the box office seems more than a little unfair, considering that far less accomplished films have cut better figures.

Sure, the setting may seem a little musty with all the big tykes from the FBI, the Secret Service, Special Ops and the CIA making an appearance in a criss-cross of motives (kidnap of the President's daughter). But there are still con-tricks and plot twists aplenty, all punctuated by Mamet's signature dialogue, which is as clipped as the mannerisms of the actors. The plot twists are not the usual cerebral kind that we have come to expect from him. They're more action oriented.

Spartan almost plays in real-time, with us, the audience unraveling the meandering plot along with the characters in the film. It whisks us in a dizzy rush of events. We are not given time to think, we are not supposed to think; this is not a reflective film. There is nothing beneath the surface, nothing new. Stop and think, and all sorts of huge implausibilities immediately become apparent.

But to its credit it chugs along with commendable pace and purpose. If I were to be particularly fastidious, I'd say that in the last half an hour Mamet appears to have given in to pandering his audience with what they want in a spy thriller: excitement and melodrama.

Fortunately, Spartan stays clear of the scatter-shot editing and wall-to-wall pounding musical scores that plague most modern action thrillers. Val Kilmer is more than adequate as the effaced warrior. Baby-face Kristen Bell's guest appearance hangs in one's memory.

It's a well-crafted and satisfying film, undeserving of its low rating, and certainly a very worthy rental at the very least. July 23, 2008

One Riot one Ranger

This is the precursor to Mamets latest TV show "The Unit. If your a fan of the TV show you'll love this action paced flick. The best part is Val Kilmer's explanation of how he was coached. One Riot one Ranger, One Spartan. later! May 23, 2008

Mamets' Best Work Yet

David Mamet does plot twists and stories that keep the viewer on the edge of their seat better then anyone. Spartan is one of his greatest achievements.

Val Kilmer, who I have always enjoyed, has had a bad run for a while. It is great to see him back on his game, and this is arguably his best role since Tomestone. The acting in this movie is top notch, with everyone down to the smallest player adding to the film. At no point was I pulled out of the movie by a performance.

The writing is of course superb. Mamet can craft a story like few others. The unique cadence of the dialog is something that really drew me to this movie. While it is unique and has a strange feel to it, this in no way detracts form the movie.

Everything about this film works for me, and I am happy to see Kilmer back on his game. This is a must see for me, and a movie I recommend to everyone, hands down. May 18, 2008

Mamet finally went over the top.

Some people can't stomach Mamet's quickfire dialogue. Some hate his use of actors as automaton acting delivery devices. Others are bothered by the twist upon twist of his films. I believe that these are great to a point. That point was passed in this movie.
The clever dialog turns to just plain non-sense. The plot is just jumbled weirdness. The wonderful actors talents are wasted.

Try Heist, State and Main, or Spanish Prisoner. April 1, 2008

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