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Spartan
2004 102 min Germany, United States of America R 18+
★6.4
Mystery, Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Director: David Mamet
Trailers
Description
U.S. government agent Scott is assigned to rescue the daughter of a high-ranking government official. As willing as he is to bend the rules to get things done, though, Scott is shocked to find that others are willing to go even further to protect a political career.
Budget:
$19.25M
US Gross:
$4.43M
Worldwide:
$8.11M
Starring
Val Kilmer
Actor
Derek Luke
Actor
William H. Macy
Actor
Key opinion
Spartan is generally regarded as a competent but ultimately middle-of-the-road political thriller that succeeds as a taut, genre-focused exercise. While Val Kilmer’s intense lead performance anchors the film, opinions vary on the strength of the screenplay and the film's overall staying power.
| Acting | Val Kilmer delivers a compelling and dedicated performance that serves as the film's primary strength. | |
| Emotion | The film effectively creates and maintains a tense atmosphere throughout its investigative narrative. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is divided between those who appreciate its lean, realistic approach to tradecraft and those who find its plot development and resolution contrived or clichéd. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is viewed as efficient and engaging by some, though others find the narrative flow occasionally chaotic or uneven. | |
| Ending | The ending remains a significant point of contention, with some viewers finding it unsatisfyingly syrupy or inconsistent with the setup. |