In the Line of Fire (Special Edition)

The film builds up a 'head of steam' from the very first scene, as Horrigan and his partner, Al D'Andrea (Dylan McDermott, long before television stardom in THE PRACTICE) take down a band of counterfeiters, and the edginess never lets up, as Leary, introducing himself as 'Booth', begins his series of fateful calls to Horrigan. Facing mounting opposition from the head of the Presidential Secret Service team (Gary Cole), as well as the White House Chief of Staff (future Senator Fred Dalton Thompson), Horrigan badgers, insults, and belittles everyone's work, knowing the potential assassin will find any crack in the security, and take advantage of it. Only his boss, Sam Campagna (FRAZIER star John Mahoney), his partner, D'Andrea, and fellow agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo, in another star-making performance), take him seriously, with Raines soon falling in love with the cantankerous agent.

The plot is full of twists and turns, as Horrigan barely misses capturing Leary, twice, and Leary, at one point, actually saves Horrigan's life (while ending D'Andrea's). Strung so tightly that he starts making bad 'calls', Horrigan is finally removed from Presidential security...just as Leary is about to make his move...

IN THE LINE OF FIRE does for the Secret Service what BACKDRAFT did for firefighters, and television's NYPD BLUE did for policemen; it shows the organization not as a group of faceless supermen, but as dedicated people performing an essential service, protecting the lives of others. As Leary sneers to Horrigan, "I'm the offense, you're the defense," and that analogue truly describes the difficulty of their job; they must find the means to protect the President against whatever misdeed a perpetrator can concoct. While Clint Eastwood's Horrigan may be far more of a 'lone wolf' than the Agency would, in real life, tolerate, his dedication to his job reflects well on those unique individuals who would 'take a bullet' for the President.

It is an excellent suspense film, and a worthy addition to any Clint Eastwood collection!


A great movie, if you like movies about chases.   July 13, 1999
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

This movie was a hit, but an underrated hit. You can ask a lot of people what they think of this movie and they reply never heard of it, or they forgot about it. But John Malkovick gives the most respectable bad guy performance up their with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Clint Eastwood gives a great role as a secret service agent.Great music also.I like the part where Makovich asks Clint, "late at night when the demons come, what do you see". Other nice parts.


Clint Eastwood's best performance yet!   March 5, 2002
Nicholas Williams (Memphis, TN United States)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

"In The Line of Fire" is a thinking person's movie with lots of action, suspense, and brains as well! It gets better and better every time that I watch it! Clint Eastwood gave a superb performance as Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan, a man who is haunted by a loss. In 1963, he was guarding President John F. Kennedy when the commander-in-chief was assassinated in Dallas, TX. Horrigan's inability to divert the tragedy has wreaked havoc on his personal life, making the aging agent socially reclusive and chagrined at his own failures. "A living legend; the only active agent who ever lost a President", says Horrigan of his soiled reputation. His chance to redeem himself comes soon enough, though.

A meticulous psychopath named Mitch Leary (John Malkovich in a outstanding and frightening performance) is threatening the current president, and Horrigan is back on the case. Leary identifies himself as John Booth, an eerie reference to President Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Leary taunts Horrigan for his failings, and his pranks become more dangerous as he gets closer to his endgame.

Wolfgang Petersen ("Das Boot", "Air Force One") directs this super-slick thriller with sheer intensity and explosive action as well. Two powerhouse actors, plus a great supporting cast (Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, John Mahoney, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton Thompson) make "In The Line of Fire" one of the absolute best suspense films of 1993!


Best Thriller ever   February 6, 2001
Jane M. Wilford (GREENWICH, CT USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

John Malkovich gives a remarkable performance that is simultaneously both incredibly terrifying and gripping. Clint Eastwood gives an equally strong performance as a washed up old secret service agent. This is my favorite Eastwood film, because there is such complexity to the story but with that same Clint Eastwood attitude that gets your adrenaline pumping. There are a couple classic lines that Clint Eastwood makes unforgettable. His romance with Rene Russo is done very well, I especially like the charming piano scene, which showed some complexity and gave insight into Eastwood's character. Overall one of the best movies I have ever seen.


Action film with a heart and a brain   March 4, 2001
David Bonesteel (Fresno, CA United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Once again, Clint Eastwood is the central figure in an action movie. However, this time he plays a man with flaws and vulnerabilities. He is Frank Harrigan, a Secret Service agent who is still tormented by his failure to protect John Kennedy on that tragic day in Dealey Plaza. Fate hands him an opportuntity for redemption when a psychotic assasination buff targets the President. He is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the killer, who is fascinated by Harrigan's role in history as the only active agent to have ever lost a president. Harrigan struggles with self-doubt and age as he attempts to prevent history from repeating itself. An excellent film.