In the Line of Fire
A gripping, gut-wrenching thriller that delivers suspense in almost unbearable doses, In The Line Of Fire showcases Clint Eastwood at his finest.
In a performance that won universal acclaim, Clint Eastwood stars as Frank Horrigan, a veteran Secret Service agent haunted by his failure to protect JFK from assassination. Thirty years later, he gets a chance to redeem himself when a brilliant psychopath threatens to kill the current president, and take Horrigan with him. Taunting him by phone and tantalizing him with clues, the assassin (John Malkovich) lures Horrigan into an electrifying battle of wits and will that only one man can solve.
Co-starring Rene Russo as Horrigan's risk-taking Field Chief, In The Line Of Fire is a high wire balancing act of searing suspense, explosive action and surprising romance. Quite simply, "one of the finest thrillers you'll ever see." (Roy Leonard, WGN-TV)
Member Reviews
great !!! - miss_Wesker
small Spoilers alert
First, ill say that John Malkovich is awesome in this movie, i didnt see many movies with him, but in this one, his performance is exellent.
In fact, in all the movies i saw with him, his acting was exellent.
In general this is a good movie, its a bit slow for more of the action and suspense to start, but it worth the patience, then it gets really really good.
One thing that bugs me in this movie is that Clint gets sick and really, i know he was getting old, but i am not sure why the director or producer of the movie wanted his character to be like this for some time in the movie.
Again, John Malkovich = wow.
I recommend this movie to those that like suspense, action, Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich.Best Action Thriller Inspired by the JFK Assassination - c4th
As the thirtieth anniversary of the JFK assassination approached, several movies alluding to it were released. One of the best action thrillers inspired by the event was In the Line of Fire, starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo.
John Malkovich is brilliant as the demented Mitch Leary who used to carry out assassinations for the CIA. He now plans to kill the president but his real objective is to draw agent Horrigan into a life & death cat & mouse pursuit. His appearance is concealed for much of the movie by using extreme close-ups and selective camera shots. The low, calm, hypnotic tone used by Malkovich in the telephone scenes and his unflinching actions in scenes of violence paint a character wired very differently than the rest of us.
The lead character is nearing retirement and haunted by his failure to protect President Kennedy thirty years earlier. His age brings into question his physical ability to carry out his duties and he must rely on his experience and intellect to track down the determined and clever assassin. The writers give him enough endearing qualities to make his successful efforts at romancing the younger agent Raines (Russo) believable. He is an intelligent, insightful romantic with a clever wit, and a boyish charm. He even likes to play old standards on the piano and engage in staring contests. Raines is sympathetic after hearing how his ex-wife left him, taking their kid with her. Eastwood was sixty-three himself when he made this film and follows a regiment for staying fit. He is very believable as the charismatic but frustrated, although determined Frank Horrigan.
Tying the fictional piece to an historical event cleverly connects the viewer to the story. You cannot help getting wrapped up in the exciting full throttle action and feeling all of the tension and frustrations of its characters as suspense builds and culminates in a classic villain protagonist encounter.Above average thriller - Coconut_Willy
I have seen this film quite a few times and still enjoy it. Great suspense, nice action scenes, great characters and a bit of romance and humor to give a little relief. The storyline is very good (although not very believable) and is well developed to create a good atmosphere all the way to the slightly predictable ending. The two main actors (Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich) give excellent performances in their respective roles. The rest of the cast is also quite good with numerous familiar faces giving good performances in supporting roles. The sets and locations are very good, the soundtrack from Ennio Morricone is good although a bit too discreet and the camera work is good. If you enjoy a good thriller, this would be a very good choice as I believe this is one of the better recent Clint Eastwood movies. Plenty of extras on the DVD although they are not all that good.
Member Reviews
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great !!! - miss_Wesker
small Spoilers alert
First, ill say that John Malkovich is awesome in this movie, i didnt see many movies with him, but in this one, his performance is exellent.
In fact, in all the movies i saw with him, his ...Best Action Thriller Inspired by the JFK Assassination - c4th
As the thirtieth anniversary of the JFK assassination approached, several movies alluding to it were released. One of the best action thrillers inspired by the event was In the Line of Fire, starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo.
John ...Above average thriller - Coconut_Willy
I have seen this film quite a few times and still enjoy it. Great suspense, nice action scenes, great characters and a bit of romance and humor to give a little relief. The storyline is very good (although not very believable) and is well developed to create ...