Director:
Andrew Davis
Starring:
Kevin Costner ………. Ben Randall
Ashton Kutcher ………. Jake Fischer
Neal McDonough ………. Jack Skinner
Melissa Sagemiller ………. Emily Thomas
Clancy Brown ………. Captain William Hadley
Sela Ward ………. Helen Randall
John Heard ………. Captain Frank Larson
The Movie
There are lots of plots in Hollywood that get recycled over and over again. Sure, filmmakers make it seem like it’s a new story; but in actuality it’s taking last year’s Christmas gift, wrapping it up in new paper, and giving it to someone else. On Seinfeld, they would call that “regifting”. In Hollywood, they could call that “replotting”.
One common plot thread being “replotted” is the teacher/student relationship. You know those films which the star is a young student who thinks he or she knows everything. The upstart meets the new teacher, who is usually tough but fair. The teacher’s job from the start is to make the student’s life difficult. He only does that to “better” the student in the long run. He can see a little of himself in that student. Eventually, the student becomes the teacher and they become life-long friends. That’s the basic plot. Hollywood usually just changes the subject being taught.
The Guardian is about the often ignored Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Kevin Costner stars as Ben Randall, the most famous rescue swimmer of them all. He has all kinds of records and has saved many lives. But he can’t save everyone. When a mission goes tragically wrong, he has to reconsider his career. He is then given the opportunity to teach new recruits. He is reluctant at first, but that is until he meets Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher). Fischer is young and cocky, but also a world-class swimmer. That’s in a pool, though. He has a lot to learn about the ocean and saving lives. And Randall is just the man to teach him. Fischer wants nothing more than to break all of Randall’s records and prove that he is the best swimmer ever.
Just like a number of other teacher/student movies, the film is marketed as being a story of courage and friendship. It shouldn’t surprise you that Randall and Fischer become friends. Even if you aren’t a fan of Kevin Costner, or more to the point Ashton Kutcher, you can’t deny their chemistry on screen. They do an excellent job at portraying these characters. The same can mostly be said for the rest of the cast. There is no one who brings down the movie with their acting, which is always a good thing.
The story isn’t original, but the atmosphere and location help immensely. We are taken into the world of what it takes to a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Before this movie, I had no idea these guys existed. You probably knew they were there, but you never think about it. They get overshadowed by other branches of the military – like the Navy. These men, and some women, are just as heroic. They risk their lives to save others with little recognition. (This was made abundantly clear during Katrina.)
With regards to location, some of the production took place in the Bering Sea. The visuals of the sea are a sight to behold; they provide the best drama in the movie. Any scene involving the sea is a good one. Of course, you need scenes away from the sea in order to get the characters backstories. This is fine, but it’s less interesting. Every scene away from the water, however, does serve a purpose.
Even though this plot isn’t very inventive, The Guardian really hides it well. It must be a regift; the paper and giant red bow make you overlook the movie’s imperfections. You may not be surprised by the outcome of the movie, but it is fresh enough to keep you interested, wanting to see how it all ends. Whether you “regift” or “replot”, your only goal is to not have your audience run away while yelling obscenities. The Guardian succeeds at that goal.
The Video:
The video presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Pretty standard quality here. No problems at all. Some great scenes of the raging sea, though. Very realistic.
The Audio:
The audio included is available in either English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound, French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound, or Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. There are subtitles available in English, French, and Spanish. No problems here either.
The Extras:
Audio Commentary –
This is a full-length commentary with the director, Andrew Davis, and the writer, Ron L. Brinkerhoff. It would have been a little better with Costner and Kutcher involved, but this is fairly informative as it is.
Never-Before-Seen Alternate Ending –
This lasts around 3 minutes and has the option to have an on-camera introduction from the director, Andrew Davis, before it’s shown. Andrew says this ending was one that no one wanted, since they liked the original ending better. The one in the movie is definitely the better ending. If they had went with this ending, and I won’t “spoil” it, it probably would have dropped down the score of the film by a little. Although, this ending is how I thought the movie would end from the beginning, so what do I know.
“Making Waves” Featurette –
This is your standard “making-of” featurette. It lasts around 11 minutes. All of the main questions that you may have about the making of this film will probably be answered here. Everything from real-life rescue swimmers being on the set to keep the movie “real” to the technology involved, and everything in between.
“Unsung Heroes” Featurette –
This is a tribute to the real-life U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. The real guys tell real stories of some of their rescues. Very interesting to watch and a must-see feature.
Deleted Scenes –
Your standard stuff here. Nothing here that you will be missing. Basically, they are extentions of scenes already in the film. They were cut for a reason. You can hear the reasons if you want, as there is an option to hear commentary on each scene from Andrew Davis (director) and Ron L. Brinkerhoff (writer).
Even if you are not fans of Kutcher and Costner, you’ll still probably enjoy this movie. You have seen the plot before, but this is a world that has never really been presented on film before. It’s definitely worth a rental and it’s worthy enough for a buy, if you like it enough.
