Product Description

Can you believe what your superiors tell you -- even if you are the British Ambassador to America? In this high octane, action-packed conspiracy thriller, a terrifying plot is played out along the dark corridors of power. When a flight explodes in mid-air over Washington D.C., the British Embassy finds itself enveloped in a diplomatic catastrophe. What happens next is a cat's cradle of tangled affinities and conflicting interests told through interlinking stories that unfold as British Ambassador Mark Brydon slowly realizes that he is being played by an invisible puppeteer with great power.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12260 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2007-02-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 360 minutes

Features

• Can you believe what your superiors tell you -- even if you are the British Ambassador to America? In this high octane, action-packed conspiracy thriller, a terrifying plot is played out along the dark corridors of power. When a flight explodes in mid-air over Washington D.C., the British Embassy finds itself enveloped in a diplomatic catastrophe. What happens next is a cat's cradle of tangled aff

Amazon.com
Leave it to British TV to deliver the slickest, most intense take on terrorism on U.S. soil (with apologies to 24, of course). The State Within is a BBC production of the highest order, tense, dense, and absolutely riveting. The miniseries starts with a bang--actually, a horribly realistic explosion of a U.S. airliner bound for London, and the production values are every bit as detailed and impressive as any big-screen action film. Chunks of plane and passengers fall along the freeway outside Dulles airport in Washington, creating havoc and collateral damage in a truly visceral fashion. And then the real action begins. Our hero is Sir Mark Brydon, British ambassador to Washington, played with sangfroid by Jason Isaacs (slightly reminiscent of Daniel Craig as James Bond). Sir Mark has not only an international crisis on his hands, but quickly learns treachery, deceit, and murder lurk within the governments he's learned to trust. The plot is complex but extremely satisfying, far superior than most mass-market thrillers released in theaters in the U.S. Especially delicious is a small but key role as the U.S. Secretary of Defense by Cagney & Lacey's Sharon Gless, whose eyes glitter like shards of ice. Savor The State Within, but be prepared to be rattled the next time you go to the airport--or try to go to sleep. --A.T. Hurley

Customer Reviews

Truth, lies and political expediency
A cracking political thriller with most of the action Washington based and involving governments, private companies and perhaps predictably, a small oil-rich Asian country (Trygyzstan, Tyrgyztan or Tyrygsztan depending how quick your eyes are) so the events are very contemporary and mostly credible, too.

The 350 minutes get off to a stunning start with an airliner being blown up and crashing onto an expressway near Washington and from this point on you'll be hooked like I was. Considering this is not big bucks Hollywood the crash looked incredibly convincing, as does everything else though it was mostly filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario.

The six parts move along efficiently, especially with plenty of steadycam and accompanying sound effects, but you'll have to pay attention because this is not black and white plotting, the good guys are not obvious and there is no winning side. The casting is fine with Jason Isaacs turning in a great British Ambassador and perhaps Sharon Gless should be taken on by Department of Defence as their no-nonsense Secretary (but maybe her hands are tainted, too). Nothing is what it seems at first.

The UK DVD release includes a twenty-seven minute 'making of' extra. Worth a look though it is the usual back slapping stuff. Several minutes are devoted to creating the airliner crash, which I thought were interesting and Grainne Marmion has some good comments on how she interpreted the production.

This is a conspiracy thriller that will certainly be worth watching several times.

A Rousing British Miniseries That Brings The Terrorism, Espionage, And Thrills To American Soil
While I don't think "The State Within" is a perfect political thriller, I will pay it the highest compliment for this type of entertainment--it is ambitiously complex without being unnecessarily convoluted. This six part British miniseries (each part is approximately an hour) carries about twelve major characters and five major plot strands and interweaves them expertly throughout. Seemingly unrelated events converge as layers of intrigue and duplicity are revealed. While some have compared this to a more cerebral "24," it actually has little in common with the American show other than the overt themes inherent in global politics, government corruption, and terrorism. But wait a minute.....Just as "24" in an intriguing thrill ride that sometimes strains credibility, so is "The State Within." And just as you might overlook the believability factor in "24" because the story told is so intricate and entertaining, you might also be willing to accept "The State Within" at face value. For make no mistake, "The State Within" (at the most fundamental level) is rousing entertainment.

Surprisingly, this British production is set largely in the United States. The British Ambassador, played by Jason Isaacs, becomes the centerpiece for the story when an airplane is bombed as it takes off over Washington D.C. Issacs is, literally, in the middle of the wreckage (in an impressively staged action scene) and continues to be, figuratively, as a British national is implicated in the terrorism. With multiple plot strands that include a death row inmate, an American company's international investment, a rogue military unit on U.S. soil, a controversial and brutal coup, and the Secretary of Defense (Sharon Gless)--this drama effectively juggles a lot of action. With a solid, well written screenplay--it keeps the pacing quick and handles matters intelligently and, for the most part, believably. That's not to say everything is 100% believable in concept, but within the context of the story--things flow logically and maintain your interest without insulting your intellect.

While surrounded by a capable and talented cast, Isaacs does carry much of the production as the Ambassador/action hero. Always good, and underrated, this is an interesting counterpoint to his most recent role as an Irish mob boss in Showtime's "Brotherhood." Any doubt to his versatility should be put to rest in comparing these pieces of good versus evil (and for good measure, throw in the romantic leading man of "Passionada" and "Nine Lives"). Gless has the showiest role as the tough-as-nails official--and while many will appreciate its ferocity, it lacked a subtlety that I would have found more compelling. But everyone really contributes to the excellence of "The State Within" in terms of acting. For such a large ensemble, there isn't one missed opportunity when it comes to casting.

I really enjoyed "The State Within" and recommend it wholeheartedly. When judging material of this length (or a series, for that matter), I have to contemplate--"Is it worth the time invested?" Definitely yes, in this case. Smart and literate. Exciting and topical. And best of all, a suitably ambiguous ending that gave me a great belly laugh! Check it out if you're a fan of political thrillers--but be forewarned, this one will require the use of your brain. KGHarris, 03/07.

Compelling believable political thriller
This series was often compared to "24"--I can't compare them, as I always found "24" too stupid and convoluted to watch. "The State Within" also has a complicated storyline, dealing with a range of subjects from the influence of the military-industrial complex to the morality of capital punishment.
In the main, these are skillfully juggled and the various characters deal with them in ways that are interesting and believable.
Jason Isaacs is terrific as the confused and conflicted Mark Brydon, struggling to navigate through a morass of obstruction and obfuscation, and the rest of the cast, particularly the very welcome Sharon Gless, offers uniformly strong and capable performances.