ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 19, 1997 TAG: 9704210126
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B12 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: KATHERINE REED THE ROANOKE TIMES
Implausible plot doesn't sink fast-paced "Murder at 1600." Wesley Snipes is lovable, and comedian Dennis Miller adds the right amount of political commentary as they try to solve a murder in the White House.
As soon as Alan Alda announces himself as National Security Adviser Jordan in "Murder at 1600," plausibility goes right out the window. Don't you mean "insecurity," Mr. Jordan?
But it matters barely at all, because somehow this not-terribly-original-or -convincing political thriller - directed by action film director Dwight Little - is a lot of fun.
Especially the fights. Man.
Of course Wesley Snipes, whose light touch makes the unbelievable somehow lovable, deserves another big share of the credit. As D.C. homicide detective Harlan Regis, Snipes' reactions blunt the impact of even the stupidest lines in this movie.
As when his partner for the duration, Secret Service Agent Nina Chance (Diane Lane), is explaining to him how she came to choose her career. She was an Olympic medalist in sharpshooting, it turns out. "I brought home the gold," she deadpans.
Snipes makes a face like, "Oooooh, aren't YOU big stuff," because, well, what else could he do? It's a dumb line - and this movie is full of 'em.
And there's Snipes' real partner, Stengel, played by comedian Dennis Miller. He hasn't quite learned how to engage with the other actors in a scene, yet, but as master of the light political commentary Miller has few equals. Just what a murder mystery set in Washington requires.
The story is basically this: A woman is found murdered in a White House lavatory. She'd had sex just before she was killed, it seems, and now the Secret Service - headed by a creepy Mr. Spikings (Daniel Benzali) - is trying to cover everything up.
Chance (Lane) toes the line for a while, then softens for no apparent reason, steals some key evidence and flies the Service coop to help Regis, the detective.
Together, they begin to unravel a terribly convoluted and illogical tale of intrigue and political ambition, involving the president and maybe the president's son.
What makes it so engrossing is the speed at which it moves and director Little's virtuosic command of the big fight scenes and shoot-outs. Lane adds an interesting dimension to those scenes as the brittle, bottled-up ; she has the right look and a perfect lack of emotional range, like someone who's just remembering how she really feels about things.
Oh, yeah. There's a subplot about the U.S. nearing war with China over North Korea or something, but it really doesn't matter. Little and company's coup is letting the action overtake the lame intrigue, and on those terms, this movie works just fine.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Wesley Snipes is Detective Harlan Regis in "Murder atby CNB1600" color