Product Description

FBI. CIA. Secret Service. Black Ops. Robert Scott (Val Kilmer) is all of these. When he is recruited to find Laura, the daughter of a government official, Scott is paired with novice Curtis (Derek Luke). Scott and Curtis stumble upon a white slavery ring, which may have some connection to Laura's disappearance.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Val Kilmer
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6000 in DVD
• Brand: KILMER,VAL
• Released on: 2004-06-15
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Formats: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 106 minutes

Customer Reviews

A taut, intelligent movie
I like David Mamet's screenwriting a lot, and his direction is good too. While this movie isn't his absolutely top-drawer material (_House of Games_, _Spanish Prisoner_), it's still way better than the usual run of 'political thrillers'.

If you know who Mamet is, you already know that his dialogue is lean, focused, and idiosyncratic to the point of surreality. You also know to expect a plot consisting of one mind-bending twist after another. This movie will meet your expectations.

It probably won't exceed them; as political films go, this isn't quite up to _Wag the Dog_ (another of Mamet's best screenplays). Its plot is actually -- for Mamet -- pretty straightforward: Laura Newton, the president's daughter, has disappeared, and super-duper Black Ops guy 'Scott' (Val Kilmer) is going to get her back.

By the time we're through we've been cycled through quite a bit of ruthlessness, cynicism, and unflattering revelations about political ambition. The direction is extraordinarily good -- and, for what it's worth, the deaths (of which there are many) are eerily realistic, not yer usual Hollywood screaming-bullets-and-exploding-cars BS. The ensemble cast is wonderful (particularly Kilmer).

But we don't really visit any new territory. For my taste there are a few too many cliches here -- which would be somewhat more acceptable if they were at least Mamet's _own_ cliches, but some of these are Tom Clancy's.

Nonetheless it's all handled deftly and intelligently, and it's miles above the usual run of political thrillers. I'm giving this one four stars by comparison with Mamet's other films, but compared to everything else it's a five-star movie.

Go Tell the Spartans....
Director David Mamet has created a little gem of a movie. It is not flashy, it does not rely on towering effects or an outrageous amount of violence to get its point across. Instead, Spartan is a thriller that allows the viewer to utilize his or her mind in order to make the connections between the movies shadowy and alluring plot points. Many mysteries come up all throughout the movie, and it takes quite the amateur detective to figure them out. Luckily, the mystique of the movie is a great aid to the entertainment value, as one is quickly drawn into the gloomy and gritty cutthroat world that Spartan takes place in.

Val Kilmer, who delivers a riveting performance as a coldly mechanical Special Forces officer, is part of a super secret covert operations force known as "The Cadre". Kilmer is removed from his job as a training officer to undertake a highly sensitive operation. The President's daughter, a glamourous college student, has been kidnaped, and the race is on to find her before it hits the press. Kilmer is a man used to getting results, so he begins a violent rampage through the criminal network that seems to have taken the girl hostage. Through any means necessary, Kilmer soon discovers a fiendish sex slavery ring that procures young girls for overseas clients. Just as Kilmer is about to close the deal and rescue the first daughter, dark political forces way over his head step in. Kilmer realizes that some, for their own unknown motives, would prefer the first daughter stay lost, forcing him to make a difficult decision. He is just a gunman, a well trained killing machine, dynamic thought has not be allowed to him. Should he follow orders he knows are morally wrong, or go renegade and investigate for himself? Kilmer, a man of honor, makes a decision that will effect the lives of many, especially his own. He is the singular Spartan, sent to settle a military problem by himself.

The atmosphere of Spartan is the most potent aspect of the movie. It is constantly dark and shadowy, a world besmirched by brutal villains and nefarious political operatives. The shroud is only broken by the figure of Kilmer, who is a monotone but intriguing force of righteous nature, as he tears through this world of lies with a 9mm pistol and a sharp brain. The plot is well paced, slowly revealing strands of truth at appropriate points. I felt the supporting cast was a little sparse in their effect, as the normally wonderful William H. Macy is relegated to a very small part. Also, the ending, which was effectively disturbing, also struck me as ridiculous in a sense, but that is up to you to decide. Numerous cliches and unconvincing coincidences pop up, but they do not take away from the overall quality of the film. A very cerebral and fascinating thriller.

An intriguing mystery for people who like to think
Spartan-Rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained. Simple, frugal austere. Marked by brevity of speech, laconic. Courageous in the face of pain, danger, or adversity.

If you like Ronin then Spartan is choc-full of the same kind of cryptic dialogue with double/triple meanings and clever touches. Not surprising really since Spartan is written and directed by David Mamet who worked on the Ronin script.

When the President's daughter is kidnapped a strict, no-nonsense Secret-Secret Service agent (Val Kilmer) follows an intriguing trail of clues and dead-ends to find out where she is, who took her and why. Hardly sounds original but Spartan dares to do what very, very few Hollywood movies are willing to try; it assumes its audience actually have brains and can figure things out by themselves.

Spartan is the slickest, smoothest and smartest thriller for a good while. Kilmer has his critics and is constantly given a hard time. But here he proves what an actor he can be given the right material. Ed O'Neill also pops up and adds some post-Married With Children credibility to his resume.

Like Ronin, the action is stern and serious. There's nothing far-fetched or unbelievable about this. It may lack the epic feel of Ronin but Spartan is by no means a small movie. I strongly recommend this if you are tired of idiotic action movies and need a fix of something with some class.

The DVD is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and a commentary by Val Kilmer (should be interesting).