Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) is a secret service agent who investigates possible threats made against the president’s life. Frank has been working as a secret service agent for some time now.  He has been in the game so long that he was even one of the agents present during the well known Kennedy assassination which changed the nation forever.  In the present day, Frank investigates a very suspicious apartment room, causing him to express deep concerns to The White House staff.

Soon Frank begins to receive phone calls from an unknown man.  The mystery man reveals to Frank that he wants to murder the President.  The unknown person continues to mess with Frank’s mind by bringing up certain topics, including things from his past.  Worried, Frank requests to be assigned to watching over the President. Can Frank catch this mystery man before he assassinates the President?

As a film, In The Line of Fire is a solid thriller without any major twist endings or big reveals. There are plenty of unpredictable moments which are also genuinely suspenseful. The legendary actor Clint Eastwood also manages to bring in some of his charm and cheeky talk which lightens the mood, making for a good balance. Clint Eastwood also brings an outstanding performance, showing the character’s painful past. It’s a great dramatic role which I felt he nailed.

Another gratifying element is the villain of the film played by John Malkovich. The villain here is extremely mysterious, and at many times he will change his appearance when he stalks Frank in public. John Malkovich plays the villain exceptionally well and creates uncomfortable vibes when on screen. The film’s music score is very subtle and eerie, which builds excellent amounts of suspense during key scenes between Frank and the mystery villain.

I don’t have any significant issues with this film.  Without spoilers, I can say the one central element that always got to me, even upon first watching, is the relationship between Frank and his fellow agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo). And no, it’s not just due to the age gap between the two leads (although sure, that’s a factor).  The relationship on-screen feels hugely forced, and unfortunately for the actress Rene Russo, her line delivery and performance feels similar to her character from Lethal Weapon 3 & 4.

Overall, In The Line of Fire is a solid mix filled with moments of drama and thriller. There are great performances to be seen particularly from Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich. The film is never dull, and it effortlessly engages the audience with plot, characters and the resulting suspense. The Blu-ray release of this film from Via Vision Entertainment is easily the best transfer of this film to date. If you’ve never seen it, now is the time to pick it up and thank me later.

8.5/10

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Review Written by Peter Walkden