----SPOILERS HEREIN----
One thing which distinguishes this film and Stanley Kubrick's 1964 masterpiece is the fact that the humor in the latter film was intended.
The painfully awful script, which would've been quite a nice work had it presented the views of the stranded president attempting to get out, whilst presenting the workings of the Vice-President to prevent the Iraqi catastrophe from happening, is so utterly predictable in its development, you'd think you'd watch yet another broadcast of CNN's cheap journalism.
How dumb the fact that the most powerful man in the free world is stuck in a diner is appalling...
You'd think that a man in this position would be aware of weather conditions days before being trapped in such conditions.
The president seems to learn his job, and the implications of it, one step at a time in the set position. The fact he meets his security personnel right then and there is quite laughable and sad...
One more detail with is so rigid and fake is the cinematography. The zoom-ins in times of tension are so forced they in fact do the exact opposite of their intended purpose, make the audience feel it's watching a picture, and not the other way around.
The truly unpleasant elements of the picture are it's all too obvious, and profoundly dangerous depictions of the White House's alleged peaceful and humane means, they are lies which are more frightening than anything else. It gives the young, inexperienced American viewers the impression their government is a safe and peace-loving creation, which unfortunately is all too false.
Granted, this film does have some elements worthy of mention in a positive aspect, mainly and solely Kevin Pollack's integrity in the holding of the character he portrays. Unfortunately, he isn't strong enough to sustain such a bad supporting cast, one which eerily brings to mind that of Beverly Hills 90210 or Melrose's Place. I found interesting the editing and insertion of authentic news coverage, but that too tends to lose its momentum as the film progresses.
The obvious references to Dr. Strangelove are aplenty, the phones, the conversations with Iraqi counterparts, the very fact of nuclear warfare, are rather amusing to spot, if you've seen the latter.
So much so that it makes this viewer want to switch the channel and watch the Kubrick masterwork instead...
One thing which distinguishes this film and Stanley Kubrick's 1964 masterpiece is the fact that the humor in the latter film was intended.
The painfully awful script, which would've been quite a nice work had it presented the views of the stranded president attempting to get out, whilst presenting the workings of the Vice-President to prevent the Iraqi catastrophe from happening, is so utterly predictable in its development, you'd think you'd watch yet another broadcast of CNN's cheap journalism.
How dumb the fact that the most powerful man in the free world is stuck in a diner is appalling...
You'd think that a man in this position would be aware of weather conditions days before being trapped in such conditions.
The president seems to learn his job, and the implications of it, one step at a time in the set position. The fact he meets his security personnel right then and there is quite laughable and sad...
One more detail with is so rigid and fake is the cinematography. The zoom-ins in times of tension are so forced they in fact do the exact opposite of their intended purpose, make the audience feel it's watching a picture, and not the other way around.
The truly unpleasant elements of the picture are it's all too obvious, and profoundly dangerous depictions of the White House's alleged peaceful and humane means, they are lies which are more frightening than anything else. It gives the young, inexperienced American viewers the impression their government is a safe and peace-loving creation, which unfortunately is all too false.
Granted, this film does have some elements worthy of mention in a positive aspect, mainly and solely Kevin Pollack's integrity in the holding of the character he portrays. Unfortunately, he isn't strong enough to sustain such a bad supporting cast, one which eerily brings to mind that of Beverly Hills 90210 or Melrose's Place. I found interesting the editing and insertion of authentic news coverage, but that too tends to lose its momentum as the film progresses.
The obvious references to Dr. Strangelove are aplenty, the phones, the conversations with Iraqi counterparts, the very fact of nuclear warfare, are rather amusing to spot, if you've seen the latter.
So much so that it makes this viewer want to switch the channel and watch the Kubrick masterwork instead...