THE SHADOW CONSPIRACY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 3.0 Alternative Scale: *1/2 out of ****
United States, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 1/31/97 (wide) Running Length: 1:43 MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, violence) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Linda Hamilton, Donald Sutherland, Stephen Lang,=20 Ben Gazzara, Nicholas Turturro, Theodore Bikel, Sam Waterston,=20 Gore Vidal Director: George P. Cosmatos Producer: Terry Collis Screenplay: Adi Hasak & Ric Gibbs=20 Cinematography: Buzz Feitshans Music: Bruce Broughton U.S. Distributor: Hollywood Pictures
SHADOW CONSPIRACY marks Charlie Sheen's second consecutive=20 conspiracy thriller. Of course, there are several notable differences=20 between this and THE ARRIVAL, the most obvious of which has to do with=20 basic quality. For, while last summer's alien invasion film used a=20 reasonably smart script to frame its action sequences, director George=20 P. Cosmatos' SHADOW CONSPIRACY doesn't seem remotely concerned with the=20 concept of "intelligence". This movie, which was originally slated for=20 an October 1996 release, got thrown in the "wait until January" dumper=20 with the likes of TURBULENCE and IN LOVE AND WAR. Anyone who wastes=20 their time seeing the movie won't have to wonder why.
For an action flick to work on any level, it's necessary to get the=20 audience's adrenaline pumping. Routine, workmanlike sequences featuring=20 characters we don't care about in situations that aren't interesting are=20 more likely to produce boredom than excitement, and that's exactly what=20 happens with SHADOW CONSPIRACY. Here, we have stereotyped villains=20 involved in a generic, high-level conspiracy, and a couple of equally- bland heroes on the run. Even although there's supposed to have once=20 been a love affair between the two protagonists, Bobby Bishop (Charlie=20 Sheen) and Amanda Givens (Linda Hamilton), they exhibit absolutely no=20 chemistry. =20
The story starts out with an extended sequence demonstrating how=20 adept Presidential aid Bishop is at diffusing politically dangerous=20 situations. Soon, however, he has the great misfortune of being in the=20 wrong place at the wrong time. He's a witness to the murder of=20 Professor Yuri Pochenko (Theodore Bikel), and, as a result, becomes a=20 target himself. To stay alive, he's forced to go into hiding. =20 Meanwhile, the Vice President (Ben Gazzara), the President (Sam=20 Waterston), and the Chief of Staff (Donald Sutherland) want him found=20 and brought in. Eventually, Bishop goes to his old flame, WASHINGTON=20 HERALD reporter Givens, and the two of them end up on the run together,=20 with a crack hit man (Stephen Lang) never far behind.
As always seems to be the case in conspiracy films, the identity of=20 the real villain is kept hidden. By the time this mastermind in=20 unveiled -- and it's not a revelation that should shock anyone -- we=20 simply don't care. This dismal motion picture never manages to engage=20 us with its meandering plot and moronic dialogue, and the longer it=20 runs, the less interested we become in anything except the arrival of=20 the end credits.
Charlie Sheen is completely wrong for the role of Bishop. We don't=20 believe him as the savvy spin doctor at the White House, nor do we=20 accept him as an action hero. Linda Hamilton isn't any better. Her=20 character's chief purpose consists of finding different ways to ask=20 Bishop, "What are we going to do now?" It's something of a comedown for=20 the heroine of two TERMINATOR movies. As for Donald Sutherland=85 this is= =20 just another mail-in performance from an actor who has done this part=20 far too often in recent years.
SHADOW CONSPIRACY even manages to disappoint once you get beyond=20 the regurgitated action sequences, limp acting, and dumb dialogue. =20 Despite being projected with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the film has a=20 cheap, low-budget appearance. The camera work is flat and dull, and the=20 sets are uniformly unconvincing. Everything about this movie looks=20 cheesy, and it hurts our ability to take even the smallest details=20 seriously. At one point, Donald Sutherland's character makes the=20 following statement: "In reality, it's nothing but shallow, superficial,=20 pompous manipulation." And, while that line isn't supposed to be a=20 commentary about the movie, it might as well be.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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