The Conspirator - 2010

American Film Company, The, Wildwood Enterprises

Directed by Robert Redford

Cast:

• Frederick Aiken – James McAvoy
• Mary Surratt – Robin Wright
• Edwin Stanton – Kevin Kline
• Anna Surratt – Evan Rachel Wood
• Reverdy Johnson – Tom Wilkinson
• Nicholas Baker – Justin Long
• Joseph Holt – Danny Huston
• William Hamilton – James Badge Dale
• David Hunter – Colm Meany
• Sarah Weston – Alexis Bledel
• John Surratt – Johnny Simmons

Story: In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt, 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken, a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal, even though she and the other accused are civilians. As the trial unfolds, Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt, her own son. During the course of the trial, it becomes obvious this is a kangaroo court where the defendants will be found guilty.

Review: Produced by the American Film Company to be an accurate accounting of this historical event, there is little doubt that any fan of history will find this film compelling. This is not merely a telling of events, but a revealing look at the ability of those in power to bend the law to their will, and an indictment of the government in general. While there are some inaccuracies in the film according to historical records, the events are basically told in a straightforward and truthful fashion. James McAvoy becomes the pawn that is sacrificed during the trial, a decorated war veteran with a law degree who has no experience at law. McAvoy delivers a plausible and believable performance, as does Robin Wright as Mary Surratt, the woman who may or may not actually be guilty. Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson bring their formidable talents to the screen as the Secretary of War and the Senator from Maryland who is charged with Surratt's defense. While it may seem at first the appointment to defend Mary Surratt is an honor, it becomes apparent it will destroy Aiken (McAvoy's character), who at length becomes the first editor of the Washington Post. Rated PG-13 for some violent content, this is a compelling drama which should be included in the American history portion of any high school curriculum. Collectible for history buffs and fans of Redford.

Live Free or Die Hard - 2007

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners

Directed by Len Wiseman

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Thomas Gabriel – Timothy Olyphant
• Matthew Farrell – Justin Long
• Mai Linh – Maggie Q
• FBI Dep. Director Miguel Bowman – Cliff Curtis
• Trey – Jonathan Sadowski
• Frederick 'Warlock' Kaludis – Kevin Smith
• Lucy Gennero McClane – Mary Elizabeth Winstead
• Agent Molina – Zejlko Ivanek

Story: The FBI cyber security section is suddenly hacked. It is a momentary glitch, but the deputy director wants to find out what happened, so he tells his agents to get every known hacker capable of doing this and bring them in for questioning. Since they are spread out and the FBI lacks some local resources to bring them all in, the enlist the help of local agencies, including the NYPD. John McClane is in Rutgers, checking up on his daughter, who is currently not speaking with him (sort of a pattern with John and women in general), when he gets the call to go pick up young Matthew Farrell, a hacker in the general area. When he gets to Farrell's apartment, they are about to leave when gunfire erupts, aimed at Farrell. John manages to kill three of the bad guys and escape with Farrell, and heads to Washington DC to deliver the young hacker. When he gets there, he finds the FBI building has been evacuated due to an Anthrax alarm, and everything in the country run by computer is going haywire. They soon discover the source of the disaster, a disgruntled federal employee who has a plan to destroy the entire US monetary system as his revenge for his dismissal. Once again, John McClane must save the day using only his wits and the help of two unlikely sources, a computer hacker named Matt, and an underground cyberwarrior code named Warlock.

Review: Twelve years have passed and the franchise proves just as viable as it ever was. Talk about enduring star quality. Bruce Willis is just as flippant and entertaining as he was in Die Hard, still a cop, still in New York (although there was that brief stint in LA), and still fighting with the women in his family, this time with little Lucy Generro, who has grown into a very attractive young lady. The symmetry of the characters is perfect, and Wiseman certainly knew and understood the passion of the Die Hard films (at his age, he probably grew up watching them, he was 15 when the original came out). Justin Long portrays the cyber nerd Matt Farrell, and he does an excellent job in recreating the foil for McClane's character. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was certainly the right actress to portray McClane's daughter, as feisty and abrupt in the character as Willis. Timothy Olyphant is exceptional as the cyber genius whose knowledge of the computer systems in the government gives him the background to disrupt a nation. Cliff Curtis is great as the FBI Deputy Director of Cyber Security, and adds a wonderful facet to an otherwise typical role as the law enforcement officer who always seems to be at odds with McClane. Since John is more proactive, he is always a step behind, but at least he reacts more quickly once he sees the problem. The plot moves at lightning speed in this latest (last?) installment of the franchise, and the action is exceptional. Rated PG-13 for violence and a brief sexual situation, this film is a wild ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Absolutely collectible for the set, and for any fan of great action films.