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Spartan - Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, Ed O'Neill, David Mamet

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

She's missing.

Robert Scott (Val Kilmer) is a career military officer working for a highly secretive special operations force. A man hardened by years of brutal service, he is respected by his peers and elders in the world of espionage.

When Scott is recruited to find Laura Newton (Kristen Bell), the President's university-age daughter, he is paired with novice Curtis (Derek Luke), who becomes his protégé. Working with a special task force comprised of Presidential advisors, the Secret Service, FBI and CIA, Scott and Curtis stumble upon a white slavery ring, which may have some connection to Laura's disappearance.

As the story unfolds, the straightforward search-and-rescue mission becomes complicated by Curtis' naiveté and the political ambitions of those in high places - like Burch (Ed O'Neill) and Stoddard (William H Macy), political operatives who may know more than they're telling about the circumstances surrounding Laura's abduction. Scott and Curtis are on the brink of tracking Laura's whereabouts when their clandestine mission comes to an abrupt conclusion as the media issues reports of the girl's death.

Scott returns to the quiet life as a rural landowner and awaits his next assignment in relative peace. But Curtis can't rest. He seeks out Scott to confide his belief that Laura is alive. If she is, their continued unofficial investigation will put them - as well as Laura - at the centre of a dangerous conspiracy that reaches the highest levels.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film crime special ops kidnapping corruption

Persons of interest

Derek Luke .... Curtis
Val Kilmer .... Scott
Lionel Mark Smith .... Colonel Blane
Johnny Messner .... Grace
Chris LaCentra .... Corporal Sattler
Renato Magno .... Grossler
Tony Mamet .... Parker
Clark Gregg .... Miller
Stephen Culp .... Gaines
Vincent Guastaferro .... Naylor
Robert Bella .... Davio
Tia Texada .... Jackie Black
Aaron Stanford .... Michael Blake
Geoffrey Pierson .... Pearce
Andrew Davoli .... Zimmer
Natalia Nogulich .... Nadya
William H Macy .... Stoddard
Ed O'Neill .... Burch
David Mamet .... Screenwriter
David Mamet .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Spartan official movie site
Spartan QuickTime movie trailers

Awards and film festivals:

Cinematic Intelligence Agency Trenchcoat Awards 2004: Nominated: Best cop or lawyer (Robert Scott - Val Kilmer)
São Paulo International Film Festival 2004: International perspective

See also Fahrenheit 9/11
Studios and distributors:

Hoyts

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Watching Spartan is like watching Wag the dog and Primary colours rolled into one. It's sharp, it's witty, it's dirty, it's tight, it's nasty and it cuts so close to the bone that there'll be nothing left for the soup. The Spanish prisoner, also written and directed by David Mamet, also has the sense of little guys being caught under the wheels of a big machine, but this time, the machine is the government. And the spin doctors. At last, an action flick with drama!