Murder at 1600
Director: Dwight Little
Year: 1997
Rating: 6.5
Pennsylvania Avenue
that is.
I just hope the North Koreans didn't watch
this film and found out about the outside tunnels that can take you right
into the White House. Surprised this wasn't censored for giving away state
secrets. Or maybe they already did in Olympus Has Fallen. I am always happy
to see that I enjoyed a film that Ebert gave a zero to. He was a hack. In
my opinion. Unless I agree with him of course. Zero stars. Not even one for
seeing Dennis Miller get shot. I gave the film two stars just for that. And
not one for seeing Diane Lane as a Secret Service woman not wearing a bra
at one point. No doubt to distract any potential assassin. How about one
star for Wesley Snipes just for being Wesley Snipes. I know I have simple
tastes, but I thought this was good brainless fun. It literally doesn't waste
a minute on much of anything. Who needs to know any background on the characters.
Save that for the book. Push the button and go. Fast paced allowing no time
to really think about how illogical the film is at times. It is a murder
case combined with a touch of Seven Days in May. The conspiracy nuts would
have gone to town with this one and for once they would be right. The government
is covering it up.
Snipes as Detective Regis is Snipes cool
from the first minute. He goes up to someone threatening to kill himself
with a gun and just punches him out. Forget all that namby-pamby negotiating
and bringing the mother - just punch him out. He will thank you for it later.
Dennis Stengel (Miller) is his partner who thankfully stays out of the film
for most of it. He was probably investigating Vince Foster's death to prove
that Hillary killed him. Regis is ordered to go to the White House where
a young beautiful blonde has been found murdered in the bathroom. The head
of security (Daniel Benzali) wants Regis out of there and makes everything
confidential and off-limits to Regis. That won't stop Wesley Snipes though.
His liaison is Secret Service agent Chance (Lane) who he instantly gives
shit to because she is a woman. Of course, they later bond but amazingly
for this sort of film never have sex.
Playing in the background of all this is
an international crisis in which North Korea is holding nine servicemen hostage.
The hawks want to invade (Miller of course wants to) but the President (Ronnie
Cox) doesn't want to start a war. What a wimp! His top General calls him
a coward. His National Security Advisor (Alan Alda) thinks he should as well.
The protestors are out. War! But Regis and eventually Chance just keep digging.
Someone killed a woman in the White House. There are only so many suspects.
It gets a little clever with a false trail being laid down, red herrings
and attempts on their lives. Just another day at the White House.
