AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

blanche-2 One of the characters in "End Game" tells Cuba Gooding, Jr., that he needs to see things from a different perspective.As I write this review, I don't know what that perspective would be, since from just about any perspective, this film is an excuse for car chases and things blowing up. I'm not saying that wasn't exciting; there were some good action scenes, but the script -- if you can paint by numbers, I'm sure there's a template out there for writing a script by numbers, and the screenwriter used it.The President of the United States (Jack Scalia) is assassinated, and one of the members of his Secret Security team, Alex Thomas (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is completely devastated, feeling that he could have done more. He not only felt a responsibility to the President, but he loved the man. He continually beats himself up. A reporter, Kate Crawford (Angie Harmon) noses around and realizes that this wasn't a one-man job, so she goes to see Alex. He isn't interested in her "grassy knoll" theory, but she says enough to finally pique his interest. Alas, if you're interested in who killed the President and why, or if you know too much, you die.This cast was a mixture of film and TV people: Besides Harmon, Scalia, and Gooding, there was James Woods, Burt Reynolds, Anne Archer, David Selby, and Benito Martinez (The Shield).I had this figured out fairly quickly. Though everyone was made to seem guilty, it didn't fool me, and it won't fool you if you've seen as many of these movies as I have.Cuba Gooding, Jr., is a good actor who, after his Oscar win, never did live up to his potential. It may have been a question of finding the right roles. He's not really a leading man, and at the time of his Oscar, he was too young for character roles. Actually, at 46, which he is now, he's still on the young side. But I notice that he is prolific, so that's good anyway. He acts with warmth and sincerity and is sympathetic as Alex. Angie Harmon brings an energy to her portrayal of Kate. It's always a pleasure to see David Selby, even in a small part, and the beautiful, husky-voiced Anne Archer.If this were in a theater, I'd say forget it, but as a rental, it's fine.

chrichtonsworld Don't get fooled with all the big names like Burt Reynolds,James Woods and Anne Archer. They are just glorified extra's. Their scenes were probably filmed in one day or so. Whatever their motives for being in this movie, if you have an actor like James Woods you better make good use of him. To me this is a sign of bad direction through and through. The plot itself wasn't that bad. And the acting from most of the actors was above average. Cuba Gooding Jr. however was terrible. He was so unbelievable that I almost laughed at his dramatic scenes. And since this was meant as a serious movie that can't be a good thing. The action scenes were not bad,but they lacked that special punch to make it more exciting. Again better direction was needed. Also the pacing was wrong for a movie like this. It took the main character almost half an hour to get in action. For an action thriller of only 90 minutes that is far too slow. The only redeeming factor is Angie Harmon. She does her best to make it all work. Too bad the director left her hanging. Yes,this movie could have been much better with a great director. Andy Cheng is far too inexperienced as a director to pull it off. And for an action/stunt coordinator of his caliber you'd expect at least more exciting action scenes. Don't waste your time with this one. Avoid!

elcee1987 Wow, what a sad film. I particularly enjoyed the lack of precision by actors playing Secret Service agents. They seemed like they were acting in a high school play. The same goes for most of the other actors, even Cuba Gooding Jr and Angie Harmon (of whom I am a huge fan, normally). The lack of chemistry between the two was painful and both of them seemed to have read the script moments before shooting.The accuracy of facts when it comes to Secret Service and presidential policies felt embarrassingly off. I can only assume the low budget is the reason for having approximately 3-5 Secret Service agents surrounding the President, despite the fact that he was outside the White House. The lack of people outside of the main cast was very obvious. For instance, during the car chase supposedly set in downtown Washington DC in broad daylight, there are only 3 cars seen, all of which are involved in an plot line accident. This movie was filmed entirely in Spokane, WA (except for aerial shots of DC) so as a native Spokaneite, I got a kick out of seeing a car chase scene outside of the downtown Rite Aid and a hot dog cart outside of Olive Garden (hot dog carts are a rare commodity in Spokane, as is foot traffic). I enjoyed watching this movie solely so I could say hey I know where that's at, or oh wow that's where I got my senior pictures taken, but if I hadn't been able to do that, I would have wanted those 90 minutes back. Also, the blue tint to the movie made it feel dead and empty, rather than chilling and intense, like the director intended. PS. The low- budget phone conversations (where the camera tackily goes back and forth between two callers' mouths) were the highlight of my laugh fest while watching this movie.

sol1218 **MAJOR SPOILERS** With his second term coming to an end as the President, Jack Scalia, is about to give his farewell address to a overflow and cheering crowd in the nation's capital tragedy strikes. As fate would have it he never made it to the podium to give his speech.As the assassin, with a forged journalist badge, pops out of the crowd and gets off a shot the President's personal Secret Service man Alex Thomas (Cuba Goodling Jr), who's job it is to guard him with his life, sticks out his hand and the bullet hits and ricochets off it. This courageous act on Agent Thomas' part causes the assassin's bullet, that would have missed, to hit the president in the chest leaving him mortally wounded. The assassin Lewis Detimore, Patrick Treadway, is killed on the spot by Agent Thomas and a number of other Secret Service agents before he can get off a second shot that may well had hit the First Lady, Anne Archer, and killed her as well.At first the killer is thought to be your average lone nut assassin with the case of the murdered president solved before the story hit the morning papers. Not for a moment believing the official story nosy and hot-shot Washington Inlander reporter Kate Crawford, Angle Harmon, smelled a big scoop and went after it. Uncovering the dead assassin's background Kate soon realizes that Detimore who was dying of cancer was in fact a Lee Harvey Oswald-like pasty planted at the scene to take the heat off those who really had the president done in.Getting in touch with a now dead drunk and guilt-ridden Agent Thomas, over his inability of not saving the president's life, Kate tries to get him to realize that there's more to the president's murder then what meets the eye or makes the 6:00 O'Clock Evening News. It's not Kate who convinces Thomas but a number of operatives, in the president's assassination, who soon end up dead in their trying to murder both him and Kate in order to keep their mouths shut!Your basic conspiracy movie that has both Agent Thomas and reporter Kate Crawford in the both gun and bomb sights of those who did in the President of the United States. As it becomes more and more obvious to the American public, through Kate's reporting, that the deceased assassin, Lewis Detimore, didn't act alone Secret Service Chief Vaughn Stevens, James Woods, makes the uncovering of who was behind the president's murder top priority. You soon begin to realize that the top priority that Stephens has in mind is really to cover his and is agency's a** in not preventing the assassination then in finding out who actually committed it!Not at first really knowing it Agent Thomas had, in trying to cover up his beloved president's secret life, already solved who was the person responsible and the reason behind the murder the president! But as it later tuned out Thomas was either too naive or unmotivated, in not consciously wanting to believe who had the president killed, that he completely overlooked it!***SPOILER ALERT*** The shocking truth, after about a dozen people end up getting killed in the film, to who set up the president and who in fact was the brains behind his murder really isn't that shocking at all. Having stepped on a number of powerful peoples toes during his tenure as the President of the United States those who wanted to do the President in not only had the means in doing it but also very personal reasons for having it done! And what both Agent Thomas and reporter Kate Crawford were soon to find out, to their utter shock and frustration, is that these very powerful people were too far up the totem pole, in the Washington D.C political establishment, to ever be brought to justice for doing it!