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National Security

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National Security (2003)

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12 %
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Reviews Counted: 85

Fresh: 10

Rotten:75

Average Rating: 3.3/10

Consensus: The action in National Security is mindless, while the humor says nothing insightful about racial issues.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for violence, language and some sensuality

Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Jan 17, 2003 Wide

Box Office: $35,764,982

Synopsis: In the hilarious, action-packed comedy National Security, Martin Lawrence (Earl Montgomery) stars as a cocky L.A. P.D. cadet who would probably be a great cop if he weren’t such a show-off. Earl’s... In the hilarious, action-packed comedy National Security, Martin Lawrence (Earl Montgomery) stars as a cocky L.A. P.D. cadet who would probably be a great cop if he weren’t such a show-off. Earl’s rebellious attitude gets him thrown out of the police academy and he has to settle for a job as a lowly security guard with "National Security."

After a run-in with an uptight police officer, Hank Rafferty (Steve Zahn), Earl accuses him of harassment. Hank loses his badge, is thrown into jail, and eventually winds up working for National Security as well.

Earl’s overzealous behavior leads to a sophisticated smuggling operation led by Nash (Eric Roberts) and a possible police cover-up.

Now everyone wants Earl and Hank dead – though they just may kill each other first.

Columbia Pictures presents An Outlaw/Intermedia/Firm Films Production, National Security starring Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. Colm Feore, Bill Duke, Eric Roberts, Timothy Busfield and Robinne Lee co-star. The director is Dennis Dugan. The screenplay is written by Jay Scherick & David Ronn. Bobby Newmyer, Jeff Silver and Michael Green are the producers. Moritz Borman, Guy East, Nigel Sinclair and Martin Lawrence are the executive producers. Oliver Wood is the director of photography. Larry Fulton is the production designer. Debra Neil-Fisher, A.C.E, is the editor. April Ferry is the costume designer. The music is by Randy Edelman. The music supervision is by Michelle Kuznetsky and Mary Ramos.

National Security is rated PG-13 for violence, language and some sensuality. [More]

Starring: Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, Eric Roberts, Bill Duke

Starring: Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, Eric Roberts, Bill Duke, Colm Feore, Timothy Busfield

Director: Dennis Dugan

Director: Dennis Dugan
Screenwriter: David Ronn, Jay Scherick
Producer: Michael Green, Jeffrey Silver, Bobby Newmeyer
Composer: Randy Edelman
Studio: Columbia Pictures

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Release:

Nov 18, 2008

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • When Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys) and Steve Zahn (Daddy Day Care) team up as security guards, no one's safe! LAPD reject and major troublemaker, Earl (Lawrence), got L.A. cop Hank (Zahn) kicked off theforce for brutality. Now, these two guys, who can't stand each other, are stuck working together aslowly security guards. And they're playing cops to bring down a smuggling ring if they can stay alive and stay one step ahead of the real cops. Co-starring Eric Roberts (The Specialist), NATIONAL SECURITY will take you on a wild ride with the most unlikely heroes ever to wear a badge!
  • Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
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    Reviews for National Security

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
    08/07/08
    Mark Halverson
    Sacramento News & Review
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    01/26/06
    Time Out
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    12/06/05
    Film Threat
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
    05/19/04
    Colin Covert
    Minneapolis Star Tribune
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    If... Martin Lawrence and Adam Sandler [were] in the same movie, it might... create an anti-comedy field so strong that both their careers would be sucked into the vortex...

    Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
    01/04/04
    Daniel M. Kimmel
    Worcester Telegram & Gazette
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment Comment
    12/15/03
    Christopher Tookey
    Daily Mail [UK]

    A patently offensive, racist and repulsive waste of celluloid, an affront to blacks, whites and human beings in general.

    Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment Comment
    09/06/03
    Josh Bell
    Las Vegas Weekly

    Put your hands up and back away from this rent-a-flop.

    Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
    08/29/03
    Terri Clark
    Apollo Guide

    If rampant misogyny and racism sound like a laugh riot, by all means see National Security, a 'comedy' so aggressively unpleasant that it’s worthy of squirms.

    Full Review Source: State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) | comment Comment
    06/26/03
    Nick Rogers
    State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Sunday Times (Australia) | comment Comment
    06/19/03
    Sunday Times (Australia)
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Jonathan Ross
    Daily Mirror [UK]

    As disposable as they come, National Security is a modestly entertaining re-hash of cop-buddy films of the 80s.

    Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
    05/10/03
    Urban Cinefile Critics
    Urban Cinefile

    This is a two-star movie dragged down a star because of its unrepentant racism.

    Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment 1 Comment
    04/21/03
    Alan Morrison
    Empire Magazine
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
    03/25/03
    Guardian [UK]
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: FilmFour.com | comment Comment
    03/23/03
    FilmFour.com
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
    03/22/03
    Neil Norman
    This is London

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
    03/22/03
    Matthew Turner
    ViewLondon

    Dugan's predictable, thin-plotted lark reads as little more than a black guy-white guy Three's Company.

    Full Review Source: Premiere Magazine | comment Comment
    03/04/03
    Jessica Letkemann
    Premiere Magazine

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
    02/27/03
    Rich Cline
    Shadows on the Wall

    Is it a thoroughly offensive attempt to disguise a reactionary view of African-Americans as manipulative, self-serving, serial complainers as 'comedy'? Definitely.

    Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
    02/18/03
    Jamie Russell
    BBC
     
     
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