Plot: What’s it about?
Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) is a man haunted by a mistake in his past, when he failed to save President Kennedy from assassination. Although he is a good man and was a good agent, that ghost in his past has troubled him ever since, making it hard for him to move beyond that event. But he must face those inner demons when thirty years later, he is pulled into an assassination plan, but not by his own choice. A brilliant psychopath (John Malkovich) has chosen to knock off the president, but he wants to involve Horrigan in the process, so he taunts him over the phone and leaves all sorts of clues for Horrigan to follow. It seems this man knows all about Horrigan and his life, even outside of his stint in the Secret Service, reaching into Horrigan’s troubled private life as well. Whether the agency likes it or not, Horrigan returns to active duty and insists on protecting the president from this madman. But can Horrigan overcome his past failure and focus on the present, with enough time left to stop this insane man before another president is killed on his watch?
This title was release back in the wee days of the format, but that disc has little in terms of supplements, so hence we have a brand new special edition these days. I like how Columbia/Tristar has chosen to revisit these early titles and pack in value elements, even if it means a second purchase on the same movie. I especially love this new special edition because I like this movie a lot, so I was anxious to browse through the new extras. I think this movie features some nice suspense, action, and even some emotional content at times, which are played out to perfection by the film’s excellent cast. I think this is one of Clint Eastwood’s finest performances and with such supporting players as John Malkovich and Rene Russo, the rest of the cast holds up very well also. The tension mounts almost right from the start and never lets up, even as the terrific climax is played through. But this thriller never puts the suspense before the story or characters, as this is a rich and complex piece of material. I give this film and new special edition disc my highest recommendation, so if you’re at all interested here, don’t hesitate to pick this release up.
I know we’re used to seeing him as a rugged loner who has no fear, but even as a vulnerable loner, Clint Eastwood more than proves his worth. I don’t think this is a departure from his loner roles in the Man With No Name series or Dirty Harry movies, but more of those characters with some subtle tweaks instead. Eastwood remains an outsider of sorts in this movie, but seems broken down and accessible, which he is able to pull off without a hitch. Once again, Eastwood proves he is a gifted performer and can handle roles of all makes & models. Other films with Eastwood include Play Misty For Me, Dirty Harry, Pale Rider, Fistful of Dollars, Hang ‘Em High, and A Perfect World. The rest of the cast includes Rene Russo (Major League, The Thomas Crown Affair), John Malkovich (Con Air, Rounders), Fred Dalton Thompson (Cape Fear, Thunderheart), Gary Cole (Office Space, A Simple Plan), and Dylan McDermott (Steel Magnolias, Home For The Holidays).
Video: How does it look?
“In the Line of Fire” was, literally, one of the first standard DVD’s on the market way back in 1997 (when this movie was only a mere four years old). Since then, the movie has gone through another incarnation which improved the transfer marginally and now with its debut on Blu-ray, the 2.40:1 AVC HD transfer still shines bright. The movie, now 15 years old, doesn’t have that dated look that even some of the movies in the early 90’s tend to have. The transfer has a very film like look to it and detail is improved as well. Black levels look strong and consistent throughout and contrast seemed to be right on the money with a good balance of flesh tones to boot. There are a few specs here and there that I associated with a bit of grain on the print, but by and large “In the Line of Fire” looks pretty darn good in high definition.
Audio: How does it sound?
The movie also benefits from a Dolby TrueHD track that, surprisingly, sounds pretty good. “In the Line of Fire” is an action movie and, as such, we expect a higher level of audio from it than say a romantic comedy. Dialogue is very strong as expected and I was surprised at how much depth the soundtrack seemed to have. “Bangs” and “thuds” really resonated in some of the key scenes and the surrounds only helped matters as they helped heighten the mood. While not quite reference material, I was surprised that the film sounded as good as it did. Uncompressed sound – you gotta love it.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The supplements on this disc are the exact same as from the previous special edition from a few years back. Certainly boasting more than the first edition of this movie on DVD, an audio commentary with director Wolfgang Petersen, who gives some insight into the production, as well as various memories and anecdotes. This disc also includes four featurettes, each of which focuses on a different aspect of something you see in the film. A five minute featurette on counterfeiting tactics, a twenty-two minute piece on the real Secret Service, a twenty minute featurette on how the Secret Service was played in the picture, and a five minute special effects piece have all been included on this release. The last of the extras include the film’s theatrical trailer, some talent files, and a wealth of television spots.
