The Sentinel

Let's face it, the summer movie season is now upon us and if you bother to see "The Sentinel" you're going to rent it. Really, that's your best better. Want to see Kiefer Sutherland in a better action/thriller role? Watch "24" on Monday nights. One hour of "24" is far superior to this standard Secret Service vs. the bad guy flick.

Sutherland co-stars with Michael Douglas as Secret Service agents trying to track down a potential Presidential assassin. The problem for them, however, is that it appears that the assassin is actually someone within the Secret Service itself. As Sutherland digs deeper, Douglas becomes a bigger suspect, to the point that he escapes capture and fights to determine who is framing him. It doesn't help his case that he's having an affair with the First Lady (Kim Basinger).

Throughout the story I was reminded of "In the Line of Fire", a better movie with a stronger storyline and a better finish. I suspect that one day "Sentinel" will be replayed on TNT as often as "Line" is.

Douglas and Sutherland maintain a solid intensity throughout, and manage to keep you interested. For me, I just cannot see Sutherland as anyone other than Jack Bauer. That could be a problem for him in the future, especially if he chooses roles so similar to this TV persona. Overall, "The Sentinel" is a decent movie rental for a rainy day, but there are much bigger movies just about to hit the screens. I give it a C.

"The Sentinel" is rated PG-13 with a running time of 105 minutes.