'Spartan'
(Derek Luke, William H. Macy, Val Kilmer, Ed O'Neill / R / 106 mins / Warner Bros.)
Overview: In David Mamet's Spartan, special ops officer Robert Scott (Val Kilmer) and his protégé, Curtis (Derek Luke), are assigned to find the missing daughter of a high-ranking government official. But when the girl's death is reported in the media, they begin to believe that a conspiracy is covering up the fact that she's still alive.
Verdict: At it's best, 'Spartan' is a tense thriller tinged with timely political cynicism. At it's worst 'Spartan' dawdles predictably and works overtime to pull the rug out from under itself! It's a close call as to which way you faithful readers will go, but Mamet's latest movie is initially intriguing but ultimately unsatisfying. All that said, 'Spartan' is at it's most effective in immersing you in its dimly lit, claustrophobic world, but just doesn't seem to wish to keep you there, ultimately sabotaging itself at the very next turn!
'Spartan'