THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 6, 1997 TAG: 9702060032
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: 52 lines
WITH THE colorful news emanating from the present White House daily, you'd think a political thriller like ``The Shadow Conspiracy'' would be on safe ground. But a plot to overthrow the United States government should involve more than a few car chases and shootouts.
Charlie Sheen, one of the least believable dramatic actors, is cast as the ``special adviser'' to the president. He gets wind of a plot in the White House itself. It seems that someone is keeping a file on all the big political wheels who have misappropriated funds or been involved in any scandal. Just as we're thinking that this must be the fattest file since Heidi Fleiss' address book, the plot thickens. Apparently, this list is kept in order to keep politicos in line for an impending assassination of the prez.
This is a grand basis for a suspense film. For the right way to do it, check out ``Seven Days in May.'' In ``The Shadow Conspiracy,'' there is too little talk, too few details and no real involvement.
The bad guys want to knock off Charlie, but the combined forces of the FBI and the Washington police can't catch him - even though the chase appears to be centered in a few blocks in the Foggy Bottom section of Georgetown.
The chases take place too early to generate any suspense - since Charlie's the only good guy, he can't be injured that early. Even later in the game, the action scenes seem quite routine and devoid of suspense.
Sam Waterston is a stoic president. Donald Sutherland is the White House Chief of Staff. (This is a warm-up, incidentally for Sutherland's next role, which will be played before cameras in Norfolk). Ben Gazarra is the vice president. Gore Vidal (who is not so intellectual that he could afford to turn down this paycheck) is a crooked Congressman. Linda Hamilton, who has to deal with a volcano on other screens this week, is a reporter for the Washington Herald, a newspaper which apparently does not require her to meet deadlines.
The only scary suggestion is that, even for 90 minutes, the future of the government could depend upon Charlie Sheen. ILLUSTRATION: CINERGI PICTURES
Charlie Sheen stars as a man on the run in ``Shadow Conspiracy.''
Much of it was filmed in Richmond.
MOVIE REVIEW
``The Shadow Conspiracy''
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Linda Hamilton, Donald Sutherland, Stephen
Lang, Sam Waterston, Ben Gazzara
Director: George P. Cosmatos
MPAA rating: R (language, mild violence)
Mal's rating: 1 1/2 Stars