The cold war has been one of the most prolific themes in film. Up until the last decade, it has been the inspiration behind Hollywood's bad guy of choice, the Soviets (or more specifically, brooding Russians and, in the case of The Peacemaker, their eastern European associates). They've come in all shapes and sizes, and other than their fierce patriotism, the one thing they most have in common is their desire for nuclear weapons.
The 1997 flick The Peacemaker, is no exception to the “villainous Soviets” theme. Recently released on Blu-ray, it features George Clooney and Nicole Kidman teaming up to save New York from a possible terrorist attack. The film starts off quickly in suspense, with a suspicious looking eastern European officer taking us through the events that would become the main emphasis of the film. Interestingly crafted, the opening sequences were so great that it doomed the rest of the film to pale in comparison. In this particular movie, the bad guys were better.
The 1997 flick The Peacemaker, is no exception to the “villainous Soviets” theme. Recently released on Blu-ray, it features George Clooney and Nicole Kidman teaming up to save New York from a possible terrorist attack. The film starts off quickly in suspense, with a suspicious looking eastern European officer taking us through the events that would become the main emphasis of the film. Interestingly crafted, the opening sequences were so great that it doomed the rest of the film to pale in comparison. In this particular movie, the bad guys were better.
It doesn't mean that this movie wasn't ripe with almost every eastern European/Russian stereotype possible. When we first meet Dusan Gavrich (Marcel Iures), the camera is zooming into a cold village, behind a cloth door of a dark study that has seen better days. Our antagonist is teaching a somber classical tune to a young girl while the weight of his intentions seem to bear heavily in his eyes and movements. Despite his angsty body language, he is not remorseful. He is consumed in somber anticipation.
The great thing about The Peacemaker, is that the stereotypes were not limited to the Bosnians. Dr. Julia Kelly (Nicole Kidman), a nuclear scientist turned U.S. government official, portrays the helpless woman in a top position. She has a hard time garnering respect from her colleagues, whether it's on the phone or in person. In one of the scenes after a conspired train crash, she is informed that she will be assigned an officer to help investigate the case. Dr. Kelly's response is to “make sure he's ok serving under a woman”, which not only hints at her character's insecurity, but also the fact that her role is essentially that of a pretty face for the rest of the movie.
When she is assigned an officer, it is U.S. Special Forces Colonel Thomas Devoe (George Clooney), an intelligent and unpredictable officer who enjoys breaking rules. We assume he doesn't complain about Dr. Kelly because a) he wants to sleep with her and b) he pretty much takes over the whole boss/subordinate relationship. He starts by shutting her down in front of their colleagues and then proceeds to unofficially take over her case. Charmed by his good looks and Cary Grant-like suave, there isn't much more than a whimper of protest before she's hooked on his arm in an impossible 2-person mission to stop the Bosnians.
Although entertaining for the aforementioned reasons, it is a marginally written thriller at best. The Peacemaker is every man-woman action movie you've seen before. Two characters meet, fight each other, fight the terrorists, fall in love and save the world. It's a formula that works but renders the story-to-be devoid of any originality. In fact, the cast selection and the visuals do more for this film than the story itself.
There were quite a few visually pleasing moments in the film. Most notably is the nuclear explosion sequence in the beginning of the film, which might possibly be one of the top ten explosions in film. Director Mimi Leder demonstrated an ability to direct a movie that relies heavily on camera work. Its simple but effective style built the suspense needed for the film. The soundtrack was also a beautiful accompaniment. Together, it all adds up to select ingredients that save The Peacemaker from falling flat on its face. Equipped with a truly excellent villain (Marcel Iures), a charismatic cast and a talented visual director, this is one of those films that you can genuinely enjoy as long as you don't analyze or think too hard into what is going on.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The Peacemaker Blu-ray features extra stunt footage, a trailer in HD and outtakes from the film.
"The Peacemaker" is on sale September 21, 2010 and is rated R. Action, Thriller. Directed by Mimi Leder. Written by Micheal Schiffer. Starring George Clooney, Nicole Kidman.
