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National Security (2003)
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Reviews Counted:26
Fresh:6
Rotten:20
Average Rating:4/10
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.
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
Reviews for National Security
It's too bad Martin already made What's the Worst That Could Happen? The title really fits this one.
As the two cop manqués overcome their dearth of common sense to save the day, the film achieves a comic playfulness.
Despite some tasty contributions from Lawrence and Zahn, too much of National Security has the bland flavor of microwaved leftovers.
A lame blend of comedy and action in which both credibility and laughs are blown to smithereens.
A retread of all those buddies-in- the-cop-car pictures of the 1980s; not even slightly dusted off.
The film is clearly an anti-racist warning, but Earl's silly, closed-minded anger is a major distraction from the comedy though most of the movie.
Combines a sour story with a repellent lead character, deadly comic schtick and tin-eared direction to produce 90 minutes of sheer, plodding mirthlessness.
If it does anything at all, National Security should demonstrate the diminishing returns of Lawrence trying to outswagger, outsass and outshoot Eddie Murphy.
Its acrimonious message lies in the way it depicts black oversensitivity and an atmosphere of political correctness as the only obstacles to harmony.
Squanders the goodwill generated by some genuine laughs early in its running time with an inevitable descent into generic plotting, tired physical gags and lots and lots of things blowing up.
Without losing its comic rhythm for a moment, it is also a withering spoof of black victimism and the corrupting effect of racial solidarity on the American legal system.
Has an off-putting racial subtext that makes it difficult to simply sit back and enjoy.
I laughed even though Lawrence has been doing the paranoid brother shtick since his sketchy, self-titled-sitcom days.
An action farce that's on the stale side of banter-heavy cop high jinks.
It's meant to wear down and demoralize critics who are about to launch into a whole new year of worthless buddy comedies.
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