In the Line of Fire (1993)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Powerful

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Wolfgang Peterson is a well-known film director from Germany, best known for his action- packed, high calibre blockbusters. In The Line Of Fire is his first American thriller at the highest level. Peterson broke out in 1981's Das Boot, the best German epic ever. The Neverending Story showed his versatility and In The Line Of Fire cemented his legacy and best-known genre to tackle: a political thriller. Only Wolfgang Peterson could have made a movie this exciting.I have no interest in politics, but I found this movie to be thoroughly engaging and very fun. It is about a Secret Service Agent (Eastwood) who is haunted by his failure to save John F. Kennedy. A psychotic madman (Malkovich) toys with him, saying he plans on assassinating the current president. Eastwood does a job well-done in acting, one of the best he's ever done (I'd say). But John Malkovich steals the show in every scene he's in. I'm surprised the American Film Institute didn't put him on their list of 50 Greatest Villains. He's sure better than some that made the cut. Many political thrillers aren't really interesting to me. There's too much talk about the different parties and subjects that only avid news watchers would like. In The Line Of Fire is about battling a hit-man. The political bit don't get in the way at all. Since there's many subplots about the characters that tie together very well, the strength makes it outweigh most other flicks like this. To top it all off, Wolfgang Peterson gives us a picture with a direction that only the best can do. Any perilous thriller like this is a sure winner, but Peterson does more. He treats Malkovich's character like an actual monster. Similar to what John Carpenter did with Michael Myers in the original Halloween, we do not really see Malcovich's character into part way through the movie. He uses lighting and camera tricks to keep him a mystery, a thing. After a while, at the right point, he had to have been shown. Does Peterson stop his clever tricks? No. That is just when they begin.

This film,in my opinion, is up there with dirty harry, Gran Torino and million dollar baby, Eastwood best films hes acted/directed in. I have absolutely no problems with this film whatsoever it is suspenseful, romantic, powerful and never has a dull moment. Obviously its not as good as the likes of Shawshank, the godfather and se7en but still similar to films likes of phone booth, rocky 2 and die hard 4.0 have been hard done by by the the critics.I would highly recommend this film to anyone who really listens to the dialogue and enjoys suspenseful thrillers. Again Eastwood never fails to please me.

Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) is a no non-sense secret service agent who is stilled haunted by his failure at the Kennedy assassination. He has a young eager partner Al D'Andrea (Dylan McDermott). They investigate Joseph McCrawley as a possible threat to the president. Then Frank gets a call from McCrawley (John Malkovich) who is fixated on him. Agent Bill Watts (Gary Cole) in charge of the presidential detail doesn't want to hear it but agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo) is interested. Frank gets back on the presidential detail with the help of mentor Sam Campagna (John Mahoney).Despite its two hours running time, director Wolfgang Petersen weaves a tightly wound thriller. Clint Eastwood is the perfect choice for the world wearied expert agent. John Malkovich has a creepy menace to him. Also I love the wooden gun. It's not a complicated story but Eastwood keeps our attention throughout.

If you can stand the Hollywood Conceit of Romance with Sloppy kissing and groping between a Geezer and a Thirty-Something Hottie you might give this one a Pass because it is an Above Average Thriller with a Venomous Villain. If you can believe Clint Eastwood as a Jazz Pianist you might give this a Pass because it has much more going for it.There are a number of Suspenseful Set-Pieces and John Malkovich without doubt steals the Film from the One-Note Eastwood who really struggles delivering Lines at times and is unwatchable as He exchanges Loving Stares with Rene Russo. Overall, this is kept from sinking to Cringe inducing Territory by a Multi-Faced Malkovich that is as Creepy as they come. It moves along at a brisk pace and it needs too as it moves quickly from badly Written exchanges and exposition Scenes among Good Ol Boy Ballbusting and a predictable Sub-Plot with a Partner that is never fleshed out and comes across as totally Contrived.A Watchable Film that tries just a little too hard to be Heady, and the best of it outweighs those excruciating Filler bits and delivers an Entertaining, but Puffed-Up Piece of Product.