Reviews (67)

3 1/2 Stars
I do wish that we could do the half star rating here. Anyway when I first saw this movie I wasn't really impressed with it. But I was at the end of seven long years in the Army and I was tired of all things military. A week ago I gave it a second chance. Now, many months after leaving the Green Machine, I find this movie is better then I remember. Like the first review said this isn't a big scale, over the top, Hollywood action flick. The bad guys are believable and some are even sympathetic, to a point. The special effects are subdued, the writing is brisk, the suspense is constant and the soundtrack is invigorating. Actually I found it preferable to the Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer school of action films. George Clooney plays a somewhat arrogant, but charming hero is also capable of being very deadly. Nicole Kidman does a capable job playing an academic who arises to the emergency at hand. Nowhere in the movie is there superhuman heroics or larger than life bad guys. This isn't a masterpiece but it is a nice way to pass the evening.A Tom Clancy story without the verbosity. Or to paraphrase another reviewer it's like the Day of the Jackal only better made.

VERY refreshing spec ops piece
This is the most refreshing action movie I've seen in a while. Forget the critics: director Mimi Leder has delivered a very credible film. The strategic premise is realistic, and the action scenes are hot, thanks to the inspired casting of George Clooney as Special Forces colonel Devoe.

Clooney is completely unlike the sad special operatives that Hollywood has been doping us with. He's no Rambo at a funeral, no tortured soul, no reluctant anti-hero full of dark secrets, ambiguities, or self-doubt.

Instead, he reminds me of certain Navy SEALs I've met: intelligent, cocky, self-assured, grinning. Ready for immediate action. Direct, practical, and unhesitating in dealing out whatever destruction and demolition will get the job done ... fast. Clooney's character metes out punishment equally well in military and civilian settings, and he is VERY clear about why he does what he does. The man has energy and snap.

If you like the fast, decisive action of special operations, do yourself a favor and check out The Peacemaker. Bear with the muddled plot; the hard action scenes are worth the wait. The fact that overweight film critics didn't like the movie, shouldn't trouble you in the slightest. They're paid to sit in armchairs and pontificate. This movie was made for you, not for them.

Excuse me I hate to keep interrupting
While 1997's prescient "Peacemaker" is a piercing wakeup call with early echoes of 9-11 and weapons of mass destruction, it is also an instrument of propaganda that could easily have oozed out of America's trigger-happy military-industrial complex. But it also goes beyond both of these cliches to try to achieve an understanding of the subverted forces fighting each other in our ever churning world.

Politics not withstanding, this is just about the finest, tightest thriller I have ever seen, and extremely fast paced. It was Dreamworks' first major thriller, a home run that vaults way out of the ballpark! They did it right. Congratulations to Mimi Leder for a first rate job. Among the many German crew members, Hans Zimmer's score is one of his best. Or anyone's best, complete with full choir.

From first frame to last, Peacemaker is a film of razor-sharp pacing, superb casting, spectacular stunts, and incredible locations. It stimulates the brain on the most primitive and sophisticated levels, as the best films should -- a sensory delight of sound, music, facial expressions, graphic action, and delightful camerawork, and crisp and often funny use of language.

I found this film totally believable. From a standpoint of cast, script, and score, we clearly have here a labor of love.

First, let's talk about George Clooney as Lt. Colonel Tom Devoe. Clooney's never been in anything this good before or since. Mimi Leder brings out the best in George. His role summons superlative comparisons such as Alec Baldwin in Red October. Or William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Will the feat ever be repeated? Heroes like this don't come along every day.

Clooney is in his element, whether screaming expletives into a helicopter radio, or testifying before a congressional committee.

I nominate Clooney's peak moments in the film were when he 1) "excuse me I hate to keep interrupting" in the congressional briefing and 2) when he captures those warheads on the Russian bridge. Righteous! He has the most important neck of any actor in Hollywood, living or dead.

Kidman, with her sharp, aggressive, professional feminity, lights up the screen! Sorry, there just wasn't time for romance or love in this life-threatening story.

From the moody richness of a a train chugging through the dark Ukrainian forest, to the crowded streets of New York, Peacemaker is rich in imagery and texture.

Look closely. There are no extras. Nothing is generic or stock. Everyone on the screen, from lead actor to those many people in the background, render perfectly convincing performances! Even minor non-speaking roles were delivered with utter authenticity.

After the sensational Mercedes car chase in Vienna and the helicopter pursuit in Russia, the pursuit of Bosnian diplomat Dusan Gavrich in the streets of New York brings the film to it's desparate climax.

The only thing I found hokey and overblown was when the Russian General Aleksandr Kodoroff first steps out of his vehicle in the smoky train station; it seemed rather staged.

But forget that. This is one of the best thrillers ever made. Intelligent, thought provoking, and precise.

Basically, George Clooney portraying Oliver North
The is a good, solid political thriller. It's probably the best of that sub-genre that does not involve Tom Clancy in some capacity.

The most interesting thing, perhaps, about the movie is to see a diehard liberal like George Clooney play a character based EXACTLY on Ollie North, right down to mannerisms and hair. I guess this film proves ol' George can act after all...

One I've watched over and over
I've owned this movie for years. I seem to find myself reaching for it whenever I can't make up my mind on what to watch. I think it is George Clooney's finest film. I'm an avid action movie fan and this one just never gets old. There are very few slow spots and even they add to the story instead of leaving you sighing because you want it to get on with it. I don't usually review movies but this is one that I feel pretty strongly about. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies that you want to watch more than once. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It seems that thrillers these days--even good ones--are all about scene-chewing bad guys, cute retorts fit for the Dennis Miller show, and one big special effect to end the movie. Well, something like The Peacemaker, the first feature film from DreamWorks, puts the record straight. Here is an expertly paced thriller with a sensible villain, smart instead of cute dialogue, and a focus on action instead of special effects. It's not original, just solid. It's the second of these energetic and effective thrillers that writer Michael Schiffer (Crimson Tide) has penned. The White House Nuclear Smuggling Group tracks down 10 stolen nuclear bombs after a suspicious train wreck in Russia. The acting head of the department (Nicole Kidman) and her military field officer (George Clooney) are off to Europe to track down the bombs. Instead of a Gary Oldman-Bruce Dern madman, The Peacemaker's heavy is an unknown Romanian actor (Marcul Iures) playing a Bosnian rebel who works passionately and quietly. This may be a popcorn movie, but it uses the ripe emotions of the Bosnian War to create tension. This is the best film vehicle yet for the overwhelming charisma of George Clooney as a quick witted, generally warm Oliver North type who will seek deadly vengeance without pause. He's matched very well by the professional polish of Nicole Kidman who is showing great flexibility in dividing her roles between serious and fun fare. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (67)

3 1/2 Stars
I do wish that we could do the half star rating here. Anyway when I first saw this movie I wasn't really impressed with it. But I was at the end of seven long years in the Army and I was tired of all things military. A week ago I gave it a second chance. Now, many months after leaving the Green Machine, I find this movie is better then I remember. Like the first review said this isn't a big scale, over the top, Hollywood action flick. The bad guys are believable and some are even sympathetic, to a point. The special effects are subdued, the writing is brisk, the suspense is constant and the soundtrack is invigorating. Actually I found it preferable to the Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer school of action films. George Clooney plays a somewhat arrogant, but charming hero is also capable of being very deadly. Nicole Kidman does a capable job playing an academic who arises to the emergency at hand. Nowhere in the movie is there superhuman heroics or larger than life bad guys. This isn't a masterpiece but it is a nice way to pass the evening.A Tom Clancy story without the verbosity. Or to paraphrase another reviewer it's like the Day of the Jackal only better made.

VERY refreshing spec ops piece
This is the most refreshing action movie I've seen in a while. Forget the critics: director Mimi Leder has delivered a very credible film. The strategic premise is realistic, and the action scenes are hot, thanks to the inspired casting of George Clooney as Special Forces colonel Devoe.

Clooney is completely unlike the sad special operatives that Hollywood has been doping us with. He's no Rambo at a funeral, no tortured soul, no reluctant anti-hero full of dark secrets, ambiguities, or self-doubt.

Instead, he reminds me of certain Navy SEALs I've met: intelligent, cocky, self-assured, grinning. Ready for immediate action. Direct, practical, and unhesitating in dealing out whatever destruction and demolition will get the job done ... fast. Clooney's character metes out punishment equally well in military and civilian settings, and he is VERY clear about why he does what he does. The man has energy and snap.

If you like the fast, decisive action of special operations, do yourself a favor and check out The Peacemaker. Bear with the muddled plot; the hard action scenes are worth the wait. The fact that overweight film critics didn't like the movie, shouldn't trouble you in the slightest. They're paid to sit in armchairs and pontificate. This movie was made for you, not for them.

Excuse me I hate to keep interrupting
While 1997's prescient "Peacemaker" is a piercing wakeup call with early echoes of 9-11 and weapons of mass destruction, it is also an instrument of propaganda that could easily have oozed out of America's trigger-happy military-industrial complex. But it also goes beyond both of these cliches to try to achieve an understanding of the subverted forces fighting each other in our ever churning world.

Politics not withstanding, this is just about the finest, tightest thriller I have ever seen, and extremely fast paced. It was Dreamworks' first major thriller, a home run that vaults way out of the ballpark! They did it right. Congratulations to Mimi Leder for a first rate job. Among the many German crew members, Hans Zimmer's score is one of his best. Or anyone's best, complete with full choir.

From first frame to last, Peacemaker is a film of razor-sharp pacing, superb casting, spectacular stunts, and incredible locations. It stimulates the brain on the most primitive and sophisticated levels, as the best films should -- a sensory delight of sound, music, facial expressions, graphic action, and delightful camerawork, and crisp and often funny use of language.

I found this film totally believable. From a standpoint of cast, script, and score, we clearly have here a labor of love.

First, let's talk about George Clooney as Lt. Colonel Tom Devoe. Clooney's never been in anything this good before or since. Mimi Leder brings out the best in George. His role summons superlative comparisons such as Alec Baldwin in Red October. Or William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Will the feat ever be repeated? Heroes like this don't come along every day.

Clooney is in his element, whether screaming expletives into a helicopter radio, or testifying before a congressional committee.

I nominate Clooney's peak moments in the film were when he 1) "excuse me I hate to keep interrupting" in the congressional briefing and 2) when he captures those warheads on the Russian bridge. Righteous! He has the most important neck of any actor in Hollywood, living or dead.

Kidman, with her sharp, aggressive, professional feminity, lights up the screen! Sorry, there just wasn't time for romance or love in this life-threatening story.

From the moody richness of a a train chugging through the dark Ukrainian forest, to the crowded streets of New York, Peacemaker is rich in imagery and texture.

Look closely. There are no extras. Nothing is generic or stock. Everyone on the screen, from lead actor to those many people in the background, render perfectly convincing performances! Even minor non-speaking roles were delivered with utter authenticity.

After the sensational Mercedes car chase in Vienna and the helicopter pursuit in Russia, the pursuit of Bosnian diplomat Dusan Gavrich in the streets of New York brings the film to it's desparate climax.

The only thing I found hokey and overblown was when the Russian General Aleksandr Kodoroff first steps out of his vehicle in the smoky train station; it seemed rather staged.

But forget that. This is one of the best thrillers ever made. Intelligent, thought provoking, and precise.

Basically, George Clooney portraying Oliver North
The is a good, solid political thriller. It's probably the best of that sub-genre that does not involve Tom Clancy in some capacity.

The most interesting thing, perhaps, about the movie is to see a diehard liberal like George Clooney play a character based EXACTLY on Ollie North, right down to mannerisms and hair. I guess this film proves ol' George can act after all...

One I've watched over and over
I've owned this movie for years. I seem to find myself reaching for it whenever I can't make up my mind on what to watch. I think it is George Clooney's finest film. I'm an avid action movie fan and this one just never gets old. There are very few slow spots and even they add to the story instead of leaving you sighing because you want it to get on with it. I don't usually review movies but this is one that I feel pretty strongly about. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies that you want to watch more than once. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Last Castle
The Last Castle rides high on a wave of American patriotism, respectful of military service and protocol, and primed to ignite anyone's passion for justice against corrupted ideals. This intense prison drama begins when a court-martialed three-star general (Robert Redford) is sentenced to military prison for defying a presidential command. The prison's warden (James Gandolfini) is a jealous martinet who's never seen combat, and when the jailed general seizes command of the prison to protest the warden's abuse of power, The Last Castle erupts toward a classic showdown between integrity and cowardice. Former critic and West Point graduate Rod Lurie (The Contender) directs this intimate battle with manipulative skill, appealing more to emotions than intelligence, but his stellar cast keeps the action on track, and a potent script returns flag-waving to its rightful place of honor. --Jeff Shannon

The Peacemaker
It seems that thrillers these days--even good ones--are all about scene-chewing bad guys, cute retorts fit for the Dennis Miller show, and one big special effect to end the movie. Well, something like The Peacemaker, the first feature film from DreamWorks, puts the record straight. Here is an expertly paced thriller with a sensible villain, smart instead of cute dialogue, and a focus on action instead of special effects. It's not original, just solid. It's the second of these energetic and effective thrillers that writer Michael Schiffer (Crimson Tide) has penned. The White House Nuclear Smuggling Group tracks down 10 stolen nuclear bombs after a suspicious train wreck in Russia. The acting head of the department (Nicole Kidman) and her military field officer (George Clooney) are off to Europe to track down the bombs. Instead of a Gary Oldman-Bruce Dern madman, The Peacemaker's heavy is an unknown Romanian actor (Marcul Iures) playing a Bosnian rebel who works passionately and quietly. This may be a popcorn movie, but it uses the ripe emotions of the Bosnian War to create tension. This is the best film vehicle yet for the overwhelming charisma of George Clooney as a quick witted, generally warm Oliver North type who will seek deadly vengeance without pause. He's matched very well by the professional polish of Nicole Kidman who is showing great flexibility in dividing her roles between serious and fun fare. --Doug Thomas ... Read more