Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment – 128 min – 1993 – Rated R – 1080p Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40: 1 – TrueHD 5.1 Surround Sound

It’s hard to make a thriller that works, because sometimes so many plotlines are running together that it all becomes one confusing mess in the end. Not so with the 1993 thriller, In The Line of Fire, starring Clint Eastwood, which actually does a nice job at weaving together multiple characters and storylines, so by the time you reach the climax of the film, you’ll feel that everything is justified. In The Line of Fire is available for the first time in high-definition Blu-ray from Sony Home Pictures Entertainment, and for all of you who love to see Clint in action, this is the one for you.

THE MOVIE

In the Line of Fire stars Clint Eastwood as Frank Horrigan, a Secret Service agent who still lives with the dark cloud of John F. Kennedy being assassinated while under his guard over thirty years ago. Now Horrigan is given the chance set things right when he learns that the current President is in the line of fire of an assassin named Leary, (played devilishly perfect by John Malkovich), who was a former CIA agent, and knows every trick in the book, making him hard to catch. Leary is playing a cat and mouse game with Horrigan, taunting him about how he will kill the President and reminding him how he failed to protect JFK. Horrigan must now set his inner demons aside and work together with fellow agents Lilly Raines played by Rene Russo and Al D’Andrea, played by Dylan McDermott in order to find and stop Leary before he can commit his horrific goal.

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Air Force One, Outbreak, The Perfect Storm), In the Line of Fire eliminates the flash and goes for a 70’s feel, where the characters and their actions unfold the story. Clint Eastwood recent onscreen characters have been old men dealing with the times such as in Million Dollar Baby and The Bridges of Madison County, and unfortunately people under 25 will not be that familiar with his Dirty Harry or spaghetti westerns where he kicked ass all over the screen; so In the Line of Fire is probably the last time we’ve seen Clint in action for a while. The best thing about the film is the standout performances of its hero and villain, Eastwood and Malkovich. It would be hard to think of anyone else in these roles, particularly Malkovich who plays his madman character as a calm and cool, instead of the over the top way someone like Jack Nicholson would have done it. Yes, there is action in the film, but the mind games between the two men are the biggest thrill.

Wolfgang Petersen understands how to make films about people dealing with extraordinary situations, so he handles the subject well. And yes, there are spots where there are issues, but overall the story works out and by the conclusion you’ll be so enthralled in how they are going to finally get Leary, that these minor flaws are put to rest. The supporting cast does a good job with the material, but Rene Russo does at times seem like she’s re-visiting her character from the Lethal Weapon movies. But again, this is Eastwood and Malkovich’s show; so all eyes are on them.

In the Line of Fire still holds up well after all these years, mainly because it relies on characters development instead of stylized cuts and photography that can date a film. Movies about Presidential assassinations always capture an audience’s attention; even the recent film, Vantage Point, displays this. But where that film make the assignation the prime focus of the film, In the Line of Fire uses it as a backdrop to tell a basic story of good versus evil. Anyone who wants to see a good thriller handled with intelligence should give In the Line of Fire a viewing. And plus, it’s got classic Clint doing what he does best…kicking ass.

VIDEO

In the Line of Fire offers a nice 1080p image in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio that looks solid, especially compared to the DVD release, which was soft in certain scenes. For the Blu-ray the details are sharp, with strong black levels and colors, that while not super bright, do match the tone of the film. There are hints of grain in certain darker scenes, but for 15 year old film it still holds up against the elements. Clint Eastwood has earned every line on his face, and that’s to high-definition you can see every one of them like he’s right in the room with you. There are no real complaints with this transfer, so for those of you who really enjoy this film, the Blu-ray should be added to your collection.

AUDIO

The sound is a definite upgrade over the DVD, pumping a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track that will immerse you into the film. Ennio Morricone’s score is one of the main highlights of the movie, so unless you saw it in a theater with good sound, this may be the best version you will hear. The dialogue is also nicely mixed so that even in the action scenes where the music and sound effects are heightened, the dialogue still stands out clearly. If you’ve got a good surround sound system connected to your Blu-ray player, you’ll be happy with this mix.

EXTRAS

All of the features from the regular DVD version of In the Line of Fire have been ported over to the Blu-ray, but unfortunately they’re all in standard definition.

Director Wolfgang Petersen offers an audio commentary track, but even though he’s a good director, his commentary is a bit on the lame side. He is definitely passionate about his work and praises his cast, but you may have a hard time listening through this track for the full length of the movie.

‘Behind the Scenes with the Secret Service’ was a Showtime special to promote the film at the time of its release. It’s hosted by the former director of the Secret Service, Bob Snow, who was also the technical advisor for the film. Running just about a half an hour, this is a interested piece that details how much work is done to protect the President of the United States on a daily basis.

“The Ultimate Sacrifice’ goes a little deeper into the job of the secret service, but many of the same details are used from the Showtime special. Watching both of these documentaries together works well in giving you a look at the making of the film and the work of the Secret Service.

‘Catching the Counterfeiters’ is a five minute look at how the Secret Service investigates and deals with counterfeiters. It’s kinda interesting, but nothing that will pull you in.

‘How’d They Do That’ is a cool five minute spot that goes into how Clint Eastwood’s younger self was inserted as one of the Secret Service agents in real archival footage of JFK.

There are five minutes of deleted scenes, but nothing that stands out, and are obvious why there were omitted from the final movie.

BOTTOM LINE

For those of you looking for a solid thriller, and better yet if you’re a Clint Eastwood fan, In the Line of Fire will deliver a perfect fix. The Blu-ray transfer has a solid picture and great sound quality, but the bonus features offered are dated and you may wish something more current was done for it’s high-definition debut. Owners of the DVD will more than likely want to upgrade to the Blu-ray to get the best version of the film to date. This is a smart buy for Blu-ray collectors.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 4.0