It's all right out of Beverly Hills Cop, without the originality the premise had 20 years ago or Eddie Murphy's grinning manic humor.
National Security (2003)
Tomatometer
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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: Action/Adventure
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
Has a none-too-subtle racist agenda that is thoroughly unfunny and repellent.
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 cliched plot and unconvincing action sequences ... don't blend well with the comic scenes and make the film look painfully cheap.
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.
Dugan 'directs' with all the subtlety and nuance he brought to 1999's Big Daddy. Which is to say, none.
A boring and unnecessary throwback to the big and boisterous action comedies from the '80s.
Combines a sour story with a repellent lead character, deadly comic schtick and tin-eared direction to produce 90 minutes of sheer, plodding mirthlessness.
Colliding police cruisers generate more sparks than Lawrence and Zahn, who create very little chemistry as a buddy team.
If it does anything at all, National Security should demonstrate the diminishing returns of Lawrence trying to outswagger, outsass and outshoot Eddie Murphy.
Latest News for National Security
August 01, 2006:
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Popular hottie Jessica Biel has signed on to co-star opposite Adam Sandler and Kevin James in the gay-marriage comedy "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," in which... More...
January 03, 2006:
Trailer Bulletin: The Benchwarmers
Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder will soon be teaming up for a sports comedy called "The Benchwarmers," as directed by the alarmingly consistent Dennis Dugan,... More...
November 15, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: The Benchwarmers
Somebody out there decided it was high time for Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder to star in a comedy together, so now comes "The Benchwarmers," a sports... More...
August 23, 2005:
Thurber Out; Robbins In as New "Norbit" Director
Filmmaker Brian Robbins has settled into the director's chair for the DreamWorks comedy "Norbit," taking a position that was (until recently) held by... More...
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