Spartan
Where's the girl? Nobody seems to know. To answer the question, the United States government brings in a man simply known to us as Scott (Val Kilmer). Sent on a one-man mission, Scott roughs up people and uses some smart deduction to get what he wants. Where's the girl? Yes, I'm getting to that. The president's daughter (Kristen Bell) was abducted and sent to a white slave company. Scott gets some help from an army ranger (Derek Luke) to pinpoint the key clues involved in the case as well as her whereabouts throughout the ordeal: first a bar, then an escort house, and eventually overseas to Dubai. Where's the girl? I told you, Dubai. But underneath it all, an odd cover-up brews, leaving you to doubt who to trust.

Written and directed by David Mamet, you do get a Mamet film here, complete with snappy, repetitive dialogue and twists and turns throughout the movie. The execution of the film is great. Kilmer actually does a fine job in the lead role as does his supporting cast. After all, this is Mamet we're talking about, he's a master of characters. But the message he's trying to convey is a bit muddied. First of all, the plot line surrounding the cover-up is a little implausible. I'll leave you to watch the film for details. But like the last administration, this one involves an affair. Second, while the film is smart, it's also supposed to be a political thriller and there weren't too many thrills involved in the film. It finally finds it in the end, but by then, it's too late. We're already too tired from keeping track of the dialogue. Finally, the ending seems to leave us wanting more by leaving many questions unanswered. Though we can probably figure out the answers, I don't think a sequel is in the pipeline. 2.5 stars