National Security (2003)
Average Rating: 3.3/10
Reviews Counted: 88
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 78
The action in National Security is mindless, while the humor says nothing insightful about racial issues.
Average Rating: 4/10
Critic Reviews: 28
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 22
The action in National Security is mindless, while the humor says nothing insightful about racial issues.
liked it
Average Rating: 3/5
User Ratings: 67,977
Movie Info
Earl and Hank have only one thing in common: they're both L.A.P.D. rejects. One just got kicked out of the force--the other can't even get in. After confronting each other on opposite sides of the law, during a traffic stop that escalates out of control, these two luckless individuals end up partnered as lowly security guards. Despite being damned to the lowest rung of the law enforcement ladder, Earl and Hank uncover a sophisticated smuggling operation led by Nash and his band of thugs. When
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Cast
-
Martin Lawrence
Earl Montgomery -
Steve Zahn
Hank Rafferty -
Colm Feore
Det. McDuff -
Bill Duke
Lt. Washington -
Eric Roberts
Nash -
Timothy Busfield
Charlie Reed -
Robinne Lee
Denise -
Matt McCoy
Robert Barton -
Brett Cullen
Heston -
Cleo King
Woman in Car -
Stephen Tobolowsky
Billy Narthax -
Joe Flaherty
Owen Fergus -
Amy Aquino
Councilwoman -
Mike Brady
Smith -
Carl Ciarfalio
Stanton -
Keith Cooke
Ang -
Maia Danziger
Jaguar Lady -
Hal Fishman
Himself -
Troy M. Gilbert
Cain -
Robert Harvey
Cop at Impound Yard -
Benjamin Hernandez
Detective -
Ken Lerner
Hank's Lawyer -
Dawnn Lewis
Woman at Impound Yar... -
Mark Lonow
Detective at Interro... -
Richardson Morse
Detective -
Anthony Schmidt
Eddie -
Mickey Gilbert (II)
Driving Instructor -
Jocko Marcellino
Sarcastic Cop -
Terry Logan
LAPD Cop -
Bruce Franklin Singe...
Training Facility Of... -
Hiep Thi Le
McDuff's Secretary -
Mari Morrow
Lola -
Daniel Sudick
Training Facility Of... -
Jonathan Loughran
Sarcastic Cop -
Noel Guglielmi
Latino Convict -
Jackie Flynn
Guard in Solitary -
Wayne Morse
Bailiff -
Margaret Travolta
Judge -
Bobby McLaughlin
Ashcroft -
Greg Serano
Carjacker -
Joe Bucaro III
Bratton -
John Henry Binder
Cop at Impound Yard -
Gerry Del Sol
Booking Clerk -
Jeffrey Ross
Security Guard -
Leslie Jones
Trucker Woman -
Tom Forrest
Obnoxious Guy -
Mike Grasso
Training Cop -
Andy Dugan
Student Driver -
Amanda Van Roberts
Rich Lady -
Jeff Ross
Security Guard
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All Critics (104) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (78) | DVD (17)
It's too bad Martin already made What's the Worst That Could Happen? The title really fits this one.
Top CriticAs 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.
Someone has to save us from Lawrence's onslaught of cinematic dross.
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.
Indistinguishable dumb action comedy.
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...
A patently offensive, racist and repulsive waste of celluloid, an affront to blacks, whites and human beings in general.
Put your hands up and back away from this rent-a-flop.
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.
As disposable as they come, National Security is a modestly entertaining re-hash of cop-buddy films of the 80s.
This is a two-star movie dragged down a star because of its unrepentant racism.
Dugan's predictable, thin-plotted lark reads as little more than a black guy-white guy Three's Company.
Is it a thoroughly offensive attempt to disguise a reactionary view of African-Americans as manipulative, self-serving, serial complainers as 'comedy'? Definitely.
A truly inane and flat action comedy.
'Overall, what more can you say about this two-bit meandering and empty-headed carousing crime comedy? Bottom line: everyone connected with this project ought to be handcuffed to the door handle of a speedy out-of-control police cruiser.'
My mouth slowly widened, until I realized that I was indeed illustrating what "jaw-droppingly bad" truly means.
Lawrence has to be the singularly most untalented, most obnoxious, most misogynistic and most racist comedian working in movies today. That's a lot of mosts, but "most overpaid" can be added with his $20 million price tag for this.
National Security just isn't good enough to be buoyed by Lawrence and an above-average script
Another of the three or four obnoxious, race-baiting flops Hollywood routinely seems to tolerate from Martin Lawrence between can't-miss blockbusters such as "Big Momma's House" and "Bad Boys."
The jokes are so tired and irritating in the film, I found myself anticipating the funny gags from the trailers because those were the only ones that were remotely humorous.
One of the lamest and cheapest-looking buddy-cop movies to come along since... well, since Blue Streak.
Too often, National Security tries to be a gritty thriller and wacky comedy at once.
Audience Reviews for National Security
Movies Like National Security
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- Hank Rafferty: Hey, do you actually believe the crap that comes out of your mouth?
- Earl Montgomery: Well, I'm never really sure till i'm finished talkin'.
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- Earl Montgomery: Time to conceal the weapon.
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- Earl Montgomery: Your partner got killed. You lost your job. You went to jail. Your girlfriend walked. You got a job as a security guard at a hundred and eighty-two dollars a week. You know what you are, Hank? You're a black man.
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