In the Line of Fire (1993) Review

 

In the Line of Fire (1993)

In the Line of Fire follows Frank Horrigan, an aging secret service agent who gets roped into a cat and mouse game with a murder who wants to kill the President. Horrigan though, who was on Kennedy’s detail during his assassination, looks to stop history from repeating itself.

I’m not usually the patriotic, go-get em type, but I liked how this has just enough to not seem overly nationalistic and also portrays the US government for what it is more often than not—shady and usually the cause of their own problems. Problems like Mitch Leary, a former assassin now dead-set on killing the President. Villains either make or break movies like this and here, we get a terrific villain as well as a flawed but determined hero who makes an excellent match. In cases like this, there is typically a lot of silly logic and needless action, but I was surprised at how tame and controlled the story was, staying on track well and always providing consequences to every action or reaction.

I love the relation to JFK’s assassination as well. It’s such a small detail but for a secret service agent, that is the pinnacle of all things that could go wrong. Mitch knowing that information and using it to constantly taunt Frank gives the film greater stakes. Having Mitch also use his training and cunning resourcefulness as a weapon against the very government that made him makes him such a damn good villain and his game with Frank is executed so well.

I really enjoyed the cast too, featuring Gary Cole, Dylan McDermott, Rene Russo, John Malkovich, and Clint Eastwood. Eastwood uses his signature old man badassery sparingly well here, turning it on at just the right moments and genuinely fitting the part of a man tormented by his past, but who is also charismatic and has personality. And Malkovich, he’s such a scary, thought-out villain, bringing so much tension when he’s on screen.

Into the Line of Fire, directed by Wolfgang Peterson, is a political cat and mouse thriller that excels at showcasing some excellent writing that cranks up the suspense, but also packs a bunch in it’s ability to make you laugh and feel for such lonely characters.

8.7/10