Review of Spartan (2004) by Jamie T — 17 May 2011

David Mamet's films often feel like slightly parodic attempts at crowd-pleasing entertainment (like, say, REDBELT or HEIST). But SPARTAN lacks the real Mamet touch, the enjoyably savage dialogue, or the air of melodrama. And while it's a perfectly well-made film, it leaves one cold, because Mamet's tight-focus, cerebral style, when divorced from his traditional verbal explosiveness, comes off as somewhat shallow and puny. SPARTAN, like any Mamet film, has its elements of interest. But it just doesn't have the fire you'd expect.

The story involves the kidnapping of the daughter of an American politician (if not the President, pretty high up the chain); Robert Scott (Val Kilmer), a special ops agent, is sent to get her back. What happens is intentionally murky, a reflection of the deceptive world Scott inhabits. For the operation he recruits Curtis (Derek Luke) and Sgt. Black (Tia Texada), two Special Forces trainees; Curtis' unswerving loyalty, and the intimation that Black is in love with Scott, make up much of the film's emotional landscape.

The story itself is interesting enough, but Mamet just doesn't bring much spark to it. The dialogue that should be brilliant and crisp is merely functional, and the direction lacks vitality. Nothing in SPARTAN is really wrong, but were it not for the decent cast and Mamet himself, it would have drawn little notice.

Kilmer is quite solid (he's really an underrated actor), and Luke fits his role perfectly, being both green and motivated; Texada brings heart and passion to her role, but she has too little to do. Kristen Bell, as the daughter, also has little chance to shine, but she does what she can; William H. Macy's role is almost entirely confined to one scene, in which he discloses a rather predictable threat to the situation; he's not bad, but the role feels like an add-on.

SPARTAN shows David Mamet at his least idiosyncratic. Unfortunately, with his trademark flourishes, SPARTAN comes off as a professionally made but underwhelming thriller. Recommended only for Mamet or Kilmer fans.