The Guardian

I rented this movie a several weeks ago. This was another film that I intended to see, but never had the chance to catch it while it was still in the theater. Some of the scenes looked like they may have been very impressive on the big screen, so I hate that I missed it while it was in the theater. However, this movie apparently translated well to DVD. The special effects were still exceptional even on regular television.

This movie was writer Ron L. Brinherhoff's second screenplay. The dialogue in this movie was great. The plot was structured well and fairly believable. There were some details in this movie that felt constructed for the purpose of adding drama. There was a bar scene that surpassed any attempt at logic. That scene would have had a very different outcome in real life. I accept that as artistic license, but that one scene would have been better if it were left on the cutting room floor. The characters were fairly well developed, although there were a couple that were shallow. The writer did a good job of connecting the audience to the main character which was essential with a story line like this. The writing was probably the weakest part of this film for me, but was still very solid.

This plot has been done many times in many different genres. It's a story of heroism and duty. Films like this set themselves apart in the telling of the story. If I were to compare it to another movie, I must suggest that the plot was similar in some respects to Armageddon. We have an aging main character who has devoted his life to saving people lost at sea. His long record of achievement isn't lost on his superiors. His achievements are known throughout the Coast Guard. He spends some time training new recruits but ultimately ends up back "in the game." There are smaller sub-plots that add dimension to the movie, and the ending shall be left to the viewer. I'm not one for spoilers.

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