In this drama, a naval officer named Annibal Ramirez (Aidan Quinn) is vacationing in Israel when he's arrested and questioned by Israeli agents, led by Amos (Ben Kingsley). Unknown to Annibal, he bears a striking resemblance to Carlos Sanchez (also played by Aidan Quinn), a famous and feared international terrorist wanted in several nations. Jack Shaw (Donald Sutherland) is a CIA operative who witnessed one of Sanchez's most brutal attacks in the 1970s and is obsessed with bringing him to
justice. Shaw persuades Ramirez to join his team and to pose as Sanchez, convincing the nations who work with him that he's an unreliable traitor. While this would give Ramirez a chance to serve his country, it would also take him away from his wife Maura (Claudia Ferri) and his children, not to mention putting his life in grave danger. Carlos Sanchez was the name of an infamous terrorist (also known as "The Jackal") who was active in the 1970s and 1980s; while the "Carlos Sanchez" character is based on his fearsome exploits, the rest of the story is fiction. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
The plot raises the keenly important question of whether professionals who fight evil may be corrupted by the ruthless means they employ; but the movie takes too much pleasure in sensationalistic digressions to explore this issue very thoroughly.
A mediocre action-thriller combination that revolves around a preposterous plan for the same reason that most pot-boilers do; it's just the nature of the beast.
Excellent CIA thriller, even though this is from the 1997 time frame, its still got plenty of action, and at the end of the movie when the KGB raids Carlos's home, it shows some pretty cool spy devices that are still in use today, ask any Swat Team Member. Reason I rented it is because it was on a 1997 Toronto
International Film Festival List and I am reviewing all those movies as time permits. This movie has plenty of action and I feel that Aidan Quinn, Donald Sutherland, and Ben Kingsley played excellent parts. The Movie shows a part that?s supposed to be a Naval Officers house in Norfolk Virginia, sorry but their are no background mountains in Norfolk Virginia unless you count Mt Trashmore. But its an excellent movie with good chase scenes and stunts, A real life adventure, based on a real story. 5 Stars nothing less.
February 11, 2009
Bruce Bruce
Super Reviewer
This film deserves 100% for cinematography for its opening sequence. The movie is worth watching for that shot alone. And the even better thing is that the opening sequence also becomes the ending leaving you totally guessing.
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