THE PEACEMAKER

US, 1997, 124 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Marcel Iures, Alexsandr Baluev, Randall Batinkoff, Jim Haynie Armin Mueller Stahl.
Directed by Mimi Leder.

The Peacemaker is a political thriller of the 1990s. the setting is the aftermath of the wars in the Balkans as well as the collapse of the Soviet Union. It anticipates such thrillers of the coming years as Tom Clancy’s The Sum of All Fears.

The film opens with quite an elaborate stealing of nuclear warheads by a rogue Russian general, capitalising on the corruption in Russia during the 1990s, willing to sell the warheads. He organises a train to transport the warheads, killing the military guard as well as a young officer complicit in the stealing. He then organises for road transport by truck through southern Russia and the republics to the Iranian border.

Nicole Kidman plays Dr Julia Kelly, an expert in Soviet affairs and nuclear warfare, adviser to the President, invited to brief the authorities about the warheads. She wants a military liaison and is given this in the form of George Clooney, one of those free spirits in the military willing to take all kinds of risks. He proves that action in the field, especially co-co-action, provides more experience than the theories of the Pentagon. Armin Mueller Stahl plays a colleague in Russia.

Using all kinds of intelligence, satellite photos, computer information, the couple are able to find the company trucking the warheads, pinpointed on the highways and eventually sending helicopters to destroy it. But, a rogue Serbian has stolen one, giving it to his politician brother so that a demonstration may be made at a meeting of the United Nations.

This means a climax in the streets of New York City, streets been cordoned off, police, examining people with backpacks, snipers in the trees and a countdown to the explosion of the nuclear warhead and a confrontation in a church.

The film was directed by Mimi Leder who made another disaster film at this time, Deep Impact.

1. A 1990s thriller? The collapse of the Soviet Union? Nuclear warheads, exploitation, the Balkans and political threats?

2. The international settings and filming on location, Bosnia, Russia, the Russian republics? Military bases, trains and train lines wrote in trucks, refugees, mountainous terrain? United States, New York City? Washington and the Pentagon? The musical score?

3. The opening and setting of the mood? The nuclear warheads, on the train, the general and his motivations, the young officer being complicit, the two trains, the murder of the troops, the leaping from one train to the other, the diversion of the train, the crash and the devastation? The escape with nuclear warheads? Their being transferred to trucks, the drive south from Russia to the Republics, to the border with I ran? The risks and threats?

4. The background of the collapse of the Soviet Union, dissatisfaction, loyalties? Corruption? Selling the nuclear warheads?

5. Sarajevo, the religious ceremony, the murder of the politician by his assistant, the loyalties to Dusan, Dusan and his secondment to power, his playing the piano with his student, by himself, his contact with his brother? His brother in the truck, the bombardment, stealing the nuclear warhead, his escape, meeting his brother, the plane, the plan for New York and the United Nations?

6. Dusan, as a person, his motivations, the visuals of the death of his wife and daughters, his tape and his explanation for his action? Diplomatic immunity, taking the warhead on the plane, looking at New York, his assistant and his brother in New York? The taxi, being held up by the police because of the pack, his assistant and his brother shooting, his escape in the streets, their deaths, going to the church, the confrontation between Tom and Julia, the setting of the bomb?

7. Julia, the role of the Pentagon, advisor, contact with the President, her information about the stealing of the nuclear warheads, the train crash? Her briefing to the authorities? Her wanting military liaison, someone who would take orders from her? Tom, present in the briefing, asking the questions, his information about those leaping from train to train, the time gap between explosion in crash? His shrewdness?

8. Tom, his background, the hearing, his contacts, bribes and extending American goodwill? His self-confidence? Experience in the field rather than Julia’s theories? His beginning to take over, Julia having to listen to him? The uneasy working together? His contact with Dimitri, Dimitri in Europe, information, checking with the authorities?

9. Tom and Julia going to Europe, the meeting with Dimitri, the information, the car pursuit, his being killed?

10. The information about the trucking company, the financial background and working out which company, going to the office, the visual check, the confrontation with the head, threatening him, tying him up, the computer and getting the information? The realism of the car chases and crashes? The clue of 44 E?

11. Getting the information to the American authorities, persuading Julia to authorise the helicopters? Pinpointing the truck, phoning the general, knowing his background and his potential indictment for corruption? Frightening the general, his pulling the truck out, going through the crowd of refugees from the war with Armenia?

12. Tom, helicopters, the Russian authorities, the threats, arming the missiles, firing them, one helicopter being shot? Going behind the mountain? The attack on the truck? The struggle in the truck, Dusan’s brother stealing the warhead and escaping? Tom and his descent into the truck, the fight? Being edged out? The hook and getting the warheads? The man dangling and his giving the information? Finding that there were was another warhead missing?

13. Julia, reaction to those who died in the crash?

14. Julia, the considerations about Sarajevo, the raid on the house, finding the video, Dusan and his explanation of his action? Intended after the action? The United Nations, 44 E, flying to New York?

15. Tactics in New York, cordoning off the streets, examining the backpacks, security? The snipers? Tom and Julia urging the shooting of Dusan, the risks with civilians, the woman being shot? The excitement of the pursuit, the role of the police, Dusan and his brother and his assistant, being shot, his going into the church, wounded, the explanations to Tom and Julia?

16. The diffusing of the bomb, the short time, Julia and her understanding, undoing the screws, the casing for the nuclear bomb, leaping
out of the church window, the explosion, only the casing?

17. Julia swimming as in the beginning, Tom coming, suggesting the drink? Mission accomplished?