Deterrence

Rating:
Summary: True definition of the word tension!!!!
Review: "Deterrence" is probably the most underrated movie in history, and therefore doesn't receive the accolades which it truly deserves.

Kevin Pollack is the President. Seeing him play this part, I honestly believed that the role was made for him. His way of expressing determination when speaking to IBS while in the diner when making his speech...and speaking directly to the Iraqi people...was earth-shattering. I truly believe that no one else could have played that role to the degree it was played.

Timothy Hutton was superb in his role as well. His character argued against the President when needed, and recoiled when necessary.

All of the roles were superb, right down to Sean Astin as the smart-mouthed punk. I must, however, give exceptional credit to the man who portrayed the anchor on IBS. When I learned he was a local TV weatherman, I was shocked. He could easily handle a news anchor desk...and should be doing so.

The most extraordinary part of this film was that it was all shot inside the diner, never changing scenes.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants a feature that will literally glue them to their chairs. You won't even want to blink for fear of missing something. My favorite scene is the dialogue when Pollack is speaking to the Iraqi representative:

Iraqi: "Mr. President, understand this: We have the oil. We have the power."

Pollack: "I have the match." (slams phone receiver down, cutting connection)

If THAT isn't tension, someone please tell me what is.

If my writing ever goes to screen...I want this writer, director, and producer on it. They know how to write, direct, and produce a movie that is well worthy of academy award nominations and trophies.

Rating:
Summary: True definition of the word tension!!!!
Review: "Deterrence" is probably the most underrated movie in history, and therefore doesn't receive the accolades which it truly deserves.

Kevin Pollack is the President. Seeing him play this part, I honestly believed that the role was made for him. His way of expressing determination when speaking to IBS while in the diner when making his speech...and speaking directly to the Iraqi people...was earth-shattering. I truly believe that no one else could have played that role to the degree it was played.

Timothy Hutton was superb in his role as well. His character argued against the President when needed, and recoiled when necessary.

All of the roles were superb, right down to Sean Astin as the smart-mouthed punk. I must, however, give exceptional credit to the man who portrayed the anchor on IBS. When I learned he was a local TV weatherman, I was shocked. He could easily handle a news anchor desk...and should be doing so.

The most extraordinary part of this film was that it was all shot inside the diner, never changing scenes.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants a feature that will literally glue them to their chairs. You won't even want to blink for fear of missing something. My favorite scene is the dialogue when Pollack is speaking to the Iraqi representative:

Iraqi: "Mr. President, understand this: We have the oil. We have the power."

Pollack: "I have the match." (slams phone receiver down, cutting connection)

If THAT isn't tension, someone please tell me what is.

If my writing ever goes to screen...I want this writer, director, and producer on it. They know how to write, direct, and produce a movie that is well worthy of academy award nominations and trophies.

Rating:
Summary: More people have walked on the moon...
Review: ... than have done what we're about to do... I may be slightly paraphrasing, but those were the words of a B-2 Spirit Stealth bomber pilot as he spoke to the President from the skies above Iraq.

This is a very well-conceived movie and the superb Kevin Pollak was a great choice as the Pres. If I have a criticism at all, it is that the movie suggests that the reason the US could not engage the invading Iraqi army is that most of their troops were positioned to deal with North Korea at that time.

This is unlikely, as the Korean situation is very simple, in that there is an infinitely greater chance that the US would use Tac Nukes against any invading force as a first resort. If North Korea ever began a barrage of the South Korean capital (a city of 10 million people), they would be able to effectively destroy it with conventional rockets and shells during the first 24-48 hours, causing millions of casualties.

There is no doubt in the minds of any military analysts that the US would have to go nuclear and on a massive scale well within the first two hours. While the North Korean capital would almost certainly receive a 'deterrence'-style surrender or die message from the US, the main thrust would be the large scale use of heavy tactical and even strategic nuclear weapons against the launch areas for the rocket tubes etc., many of which have been embedded to make them difficult to bomb. Neutron weapons would be one of the most effective responses for this type of target.

Not a pleasant topic and one that we all hope will remain in the realms of the theoretical, but then again, that's up to the North Korean leader.

Deterrence captures the life or death nature of this kind of diplomacy and is an important reminder of the stakes involved.

The only other criticism is that (Don't read on if you don't want to know anything about the film, I'm about to mention a plot event...) when the diner owner shoots and wounds the military aide carrying the briefcase containing the launch codes, there is NO WAY the Security people would stand there, pointing their guns at him trying to talk him down and risk that he will fire a fatal shot, thus making it impossible to open the briefcase. The guy would have been tomato paste after getting off the first round.

All in all a great movie. Essential viewing for dictators everywhere.

Rating:
Summary: Chilly movie!
Review: About the only thing more enjoyable than a post-apocalyptic film is a movie about the lead up to the end of the world. "Deterrence" recalls "Fail Safe," "Dr. Strangelove," "By Dawn's Early Light," or a host of other "when nukes go wild" type films. Well, almost. Only one bomb goes off here, after which Armageddon is put off for a sunnier day. But the tension so intrinsic to this amazing genre is here in spades, that special, palpable tension so thick you could spackle the cracks in your ceiling with it. "Deterrence" is a nice nail biter with a solid cast, a claustrophobic atmosphere, and an effective cast to carry the whole thing off. It's too bad this movie is such an obscurity; I would like to state that "Deterrence" deserves more attention than it has currently received. Moreover, with the end of the Cold War we just do not see films like this anymore. Anyone who grew up during the days of mutually assured destruction policies and doomsday planes swooping over the roofs of their houses at fifteen-minute intervals will probably appreciate the implications of this movie more than those youngsters born after Ronald Reagan was president.

It is the future (2008, to be exact) when President Walter Emerson (Kevin Pollack) stops over at a little diner in Colorado during a snowstorm. Conditions are so bad outside that the man cannot even get a helicopter in to transport him out of the area. Emerson is pounding the pavement around the country in order to secure his party's nomination for a run at the White House. He is president, but only because he assumed the office after his predecessor suddenly died. The political battle is close, and it will soon get much closer when an international tragedy of epic dimensions erupts in the Middle East. While Emerson schmoozes with a few of the people trapped in the diner, his aides make the shocking announcement that Saddam Hussein's son, now the leader of Iraq, has launched a surprise attack on Kuwait and wiped out a contingent of U.S. Marines stationed there. Even worse, Iraq claims to possess nuclear weapons and threatens to unleash a holocaust of unprecedented proportions if Emerson attempts to dislodge the Iraqi army now ravaging Kuwait. The president is in a quandary; he must consider his response in terms of the upcoming election, but he must also deal decisively with the Iraqi situation with only a few laptop computers and a satellite phone at his disposal. Serving as the leader of the free world can really drag.

Incredibly, President Emerson uses a news crew following his campaign to make a live newscast to the nation where he threatens to drop an atomic device on Baghdad within a few hours if the Iraqi leadership fails to withdraw its troops. The prez doesn't stonewall, doesn't beg for more time to consider his options, doesn't check polls before making a decision; he steps right up to the camera, delivers his ultimatum, and begins to monitor the situation. What leadership! What chutzpah! Well, that is the problem. Emerson's Chief of Staff Marshall Thompson (Timothy Hutton) occasionally drifts into the foreground to question the motivations of such a brazen decree. He points out that nuking Baghdad is equivalent to dropping a bomb on the birthplace of the human race. Thompson also wonders about the potential fallout sure to batter the gates when Emerson, a Jew, attacks an Arab nation with such a devastating device. Further complicating matters are a series of increasingly irate phone calls between the president and the Iraqi ambassador, communications that take on downright sinister implications when the Iraqi's claim to possess a bundle of nuclear weapons located on ships around the world. They will launch these bombs at American targets, says the ambassador, unless Emerson accepts the invasion. Predictably, one of these targets is Washington, D.C. where the president's family waits for his return.

If you cannot tell, I liked "Deterrence." I started out with doubts as I loaded the DVD in the machine, however. I worried about Kevin Pollack turning in a competent performance as the president, a worry completely unfounded as the first few minutes of the movie unfolded. What really gave me a positive feel for the guy was how he worked the locals at the diner. Anyone who has seen a politician in action will instantly recognize Emerson's breezy familiarity with people he met mere seconds ago. I thought these initial scenes really helped set up the idea of Pollack playing the president. Who knew a comedian who does such a killer impression of William Shatner's Captain Kirk could pull off a role requiring him to resolve more moral dilemmas than Plato? For the most part, the supporting cast does an adequate job backing up Pollack's essentially one-man show. What didn't work as well was the cast of locals in the diner. For a large part of the movie they simply fade into the woodwork until one of the shocking twists at the conclusion requires their presence.

Anyone who says they saw the twist conclusion coming from miles away is not telling the truth. Although this denouement is arguably too pat, it did instantly change the entire scope of the film. There is that great moment when you learn why the president does what he does and you quickly scan your memory of the preceding scenes in order to see what clues the director gave you in advance. They are there, but you won't see them until the very end. As for the DVD version of "Deterrence," there is a commentary track from the director but that's about it. No matter, though, since "Deterrence" is a great thriller and a grand continuation of a genre that could have disappeared with the Berlin Wall. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Promising and engaging film
Review: An intellectual drama about the ethics of war, this movie had its flaws but was definitely engaging. The story is set not too far in the future during presidential primaries. The current president has only been in office a few months after the death of the president. He was appointed and not elected, and his popularity is precarious. He is stuck in a cafe in Colorado during a snowstorm when military moves in Iraq threaten to undermine the U.S. and United Nations. Not everything in the movie rang true, but Pollak is excellent, and the movie confronted very real ethical issues about war, racism, responsibility, power and politics. The film was more about asking questions than forcing an agenda. The film definitely tackled the dilemma of individual conscience and collective duty, the individual as autonomous and as a citizen (in some ways reminiscent of A Man for All Seasons). The viewer is left to draw his/her own conclusions about whether the president's decisions were correct. If anything, the film reveals how complex decisions of war can be, and it made me wonder how many of our political and personal decisions are still colored by discrimination and fear. It is definitely a film about greys, not black and white.

Rating:
Summary: OY! Guess who's the next Pres?
Review: Call it dejá vu. When I first saw the previews to this movie I was hooked on its premise. First Jewish U.S. president (Hmm... Don't we have a Jewish VP candidate...? Weapons of Mass Destruction, a Middle East crisis, nukes...and the occupant of the Oval Office is stuck in a... I won't spoil it! It's a really great flick. You'll approach the ending with an air of disbelief. Though its end is a little unorthodox for the type of movie, "Deterrence" turns out to be a great yarn. If you're into good acting, good drama (based on real life, by the way) and international affairs, THIS,! is the DVD to buy. Call it, "Primary Colors" meets Kubric's "Dr. Strangelove." I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Two Angry Men.
Review: DETERRENCE is one of those movies that nobody hears about until it comes out on video. Boosting no blockbuster stars and a rather small budget it didn't have much of a theatrical release. However, thanks to VHS and DVD, this movie is sure to have a long life.

The movie takes place in a small diner in Aztec, Colorado in the year 2008. The non-elected President Emerson (he took office after the former elected President died in office) is heavily campaigning in the hope of becoming "legit" and needs a major victory. Emerson and company are stuck at the diner because of a major snowstorm that prevents all travel. While there, it is learned that the son of Saddam Hussein (now the leader of Iraq) has invaded Kuwait and is preparing to invade Saudi Arabia as well. Hundreds of American soldiers have been killed in the process and the threat from Iraq could lead to a nuclear holocaust. The momentum of the movie builds from that point on as we are drawn into the interactions between Emerson and his staff and the response of the diner's customers.

The strength of this film is it's dialogue. You have to turn up the volume otherwise you might miss something. Though there are no major blockbuster stars (Kevin Pollock is a great actor, but doesn't make blockbuster movies), the acting is superb and is better than many big budget pictures.

The movie only has two flaws. One of them really isn't even a flaw, just a drawback. The movie works and moves well, but would work even better as a play or live television broadcast. Much of the energy derived from a live audience is lost because of the indifference of the camera lens, but that is something beyond the filmmaker's control. The only other complaint is the ending of the film. The entire movie seems realistic and totally plausible, but the climax of the film is rather anti-dramatic for such a gut-wrenching pace. Nevertheless, the film is so powerful and thought-provoking that, though the finale leaves something to be desired it doesn't ruin the movie. Movies don't get much better than that.

Rating:
Summary: A film whose impact is bigger than its budget
Review: Every once in a while I come across a movie that is so thought-provoking I think about it for days. This is such a movie. If you're looking for flaws or think you're a learned critic, I'm sure you'll find something to crow about. This is a compact, brilliantly acted and scripted movie and for its low budget, a great one.

Of the reviews so far, the one that comes closest to mine is that of Mr. Dumas. Read his review.

And to the misguided critics of this movie -- go see Terminator 2 or something of that sort.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most suspenseful movies I've ever seen...
Review: I caught this movie on cable one night by accident and I was enthralled by it. There is so much to say and it is all positive, but has all been said by other reviewers. If you are unsure about the movie, see it and form your own opinion. I LOVED IT!

Rating:
Summary: Good film, but it has a couple of annoying flaws
Review: I first saw the preview for this movie on the internet. It looked great! It never made it to a theatre near me so I've been waiting for the video. I finally saw it last night.

Deterrence is about an unelected President (ala Gerald Ford) who must deal with another invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 2007, by Saddam Hussein's son. The President is stuck in a diner in Colorado during a blizzard, so must deal with the situation there with a few telephones and local people around, and one news cameraman. The president decides that issuing a threat on global TV of using a 100 megaton bomb on Bagdad would be effective to make the Iraqis turn back. It doesn't turn out to be quite that easy.

I won't reveal any more, but it makes for good cinema similar to such movies as Fail Safe.

My one big gripe is that "the secret" revealed at the end is only known to the President. His top advisers, including NSA and Joint Chiefs of Staff apparently have no clue about it, which I find to be absolutely unbelievable given what the secret is.