FIRST TARGET
US, 2000, 93 minutes, Colour.
Daryl Hannah, Doug Savant, Brandy Leadford, Peter Flemming, Gary Bakewell, Jason Schombing, Tom Butler, Gregory Harrison.
Directed by Armand Mastroianni.
First Target is a sequel to First Daughter, a thriller written by Carey and Chad Hayes and directed by Armand Mastroianni (director of a number of thrillers during the 1980s and 1990s).
The film focuses on the Secret Service and their protection of the president. First Daughter concerned the rescue of the president’s daughter. First Target focuses on a conspiracy (masterminded by the vice-president and Seattle businessmen) to kill the president.
In the first film Mariel Hemingway was Agent Alex Mc Gregor. She is replaced by Daryl Hannah in this film. Doug Savant continues his role as Alex McGregor’s? boyfriend – and integral to the two rescues. Gregory Harrison repeats his role as the President of the United States. Tom Butler is the scheming senator.
The film opens with a preposterous attack during a press confrontation in the White House – and one hopes that it is only a training exercise, which it is. After that, the film settles down to show the background of the Secret Service, the planning for security, the various threats. The film is very much set in Conspiracyland, the vice-president himself in league with businessmen (a bit like the stories of business leaders critical of J.F. Kennedy and planning his assassination). A sinister brother and sister in Seattle are the two who perform the executions.
In the background is a romance story between Alex Mc Gregor and her boyfriend, though she doesn't have time for the niceties given the pressures of her job. He is a wilderness guide – and adaptable, especially for helping out in the final crisis situation. Gregory Harrison is a genial president.
1.The popularity of this kind of telemovie? Thriller with political background?
2.The Washington settings, the White House and the exercise? Life in the White House? Secret Service agent headquarters, homes? The contrast with Seattle, on the sea, the sky tram, the hotels? The action sequences on the mountain? The musical score?
3.The focus on a woman as leader of the Secret Service, strength of character, command, her severity in training other women – in order to make their mark and to be accepted as themselves with their skills?
4.The opening sequence, the attack, the practice, the difficulties in security? Alex’s response, her criticisms, especially of Kelsey? Her relationship with the president, with Grant? The background of her life, her devotion to her father, going to his place, the fishing? The relationship with Grant? Her relying on him, his security badge facing the right way, his going up the mountain, cell phone and contact, getting him to participate in the rescue of the president? Her casual mention about getting married – and his final presentation of the ring? The portrait of a strong and professional woman?
5.The president, genial, his policies? His concern about his daughter’s tattoo? Reliance on Alex? Friendship with Grant? Urging him to propose, arranging the fishing trip? His going to Seattle, the speeches, the support of J.P. Hunter? On the sky tram, his being trapped, with the other people, his taking control, his calm, the rescue?
6.The Stahl brother and sister, Nina on the boat, poisoning the secret agent? Her brother and his guns? In the employ of Hunter, Hunter and his relationship with Nina? Their testing the guns? The conspiracies? Hunter and the vice-president, the other business leaders, their meetings, the votes? Proceeding to assassinate the president? The Stahls and Nina ingratiating herself with the controller of the sky tram? Her brother and his computer wizardry? The playing games and sending death emails and images to the White House? Nina and her going to the top of the sky tram to shoot, Evan and his using his computer skills? The final confrontation, Grant, the fights, deaths – and Kelsey shooting Nina? Hunter and his business interests, schemes – and his being unmasked?
7.Grant, the outdoors man, friendship with Alex’s father, the fishing, the ring, wanting to propose, phone calls always interrupting at meals etc? His going to Seattle, feeling out of place? Climbing the track? The fight with Nina? The final proposal?
8.The portrait of the vice-president, sinister, clash with the Secret Service? The phone call at the end and Grant tricking him and his being unmasked?
9.The members of the Secret Service, Kelsey as a woman, Alex being hard on her, her trying harder, the interactions with Alex, her being shot, shooting Nina? Mc Call and the Seattle group, the past relationship with Alex, his being in league with Hunter, the chase and the false set-up of the computer man, shooting of Ryan? Brinkman as his assistant? The shoot-outs – and the failure of the assassination attempt?
10.The action sequences, the insight into politics, security – even if heightened for television action?
