Spartan **** (2004, Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H Macy, Tia Texada, Johnny Messner, Clark Gregg, Stephen Culp, Ed O’Neill, Kristen Bell) – Classic Movie Review 4584

In writer-director David Mamet’s 2004 crime drama, Val Kilmer gives his best performance in a decade as maverick Delta Force agent Robert Scott, the head of a covert action squad assigned with a rookie partner Curtis (Derek Luke) to find and save the US President’s daughter (Kristen Bell). She has been unwittingly snatched by mercenaries to be sold into a Dubai white sex slavery racket.

You will need to keep you wits about you for this super twisty action thriller from posh film-maker Mamet, who knows how to write artily snappy dialogue, build and maintain the tension and establish a mood of mystery and conspiracy. Mamet takes a routine, even TV movie-style plot and, through sheer wit and cleverness, takes it to another dimension.

In a fine cast, Clark Gregg, William H Macy and Ed O’Neill are just right as secret service agents.

Also in the cast are Tia Texada, Johnny Messner, Stephen Culp, Andrew Davoli, Renato Magno, Lionel Mark Smith, Aaron Stanford, Ron Butler, Tony Mamet and Kick Gurry.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4584

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