The Guardian | 
| Director: Andrew Davis
Actors: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Sela Ward, Melissa Sagemiller, Clancy Brown
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.99
Buy Used: $1.25
You Save: $13.74 (92%)
New (59) Used (122) Collectible (1) from $1.25
Rating:  175 reviews
Sales Rank: 3060
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 139 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: DISD50648D
UPC: 786936705119
EAN: 0786936705119
ASIN: B000KF0GWW
Theatrical Release Date: September 29, 2006
Release Date: January 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher star in THE GUARDIAN, the powerful, action-packed drama that takes you inside the never-before-seen world of the elite Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Reeling with grief in the wake of a mission gone tragically wrong, legendary Rescue Swimmer Ben Randall (Costner) is given a mission he doesn't want - training raw recruits. Once there, he knocks heads with cocky Jake Fischer (Kutcher), a swimming champ driven by a painful secret, who's more interested in breaking Ben's records than saving lives. But Ben also sees Jake has what it takes to be the best of the best. Filled with spectacular rescues in the lethal waters of the Bering Sea, THE GUARDIAN is a riveting and compelling story that dives straight into the heart and soul of real heroes, the unsung guardians of the sea.
Amazon.com
The Guardian offers satisfying entertainment with a no-nonsense combination of Hollywood formula and good old-fashioned star power. While honoring the men and women who serve as rescue swimmers for the U.S. Coast Guard, this predictable yet appealing drama is a well-crafted showcase for Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher, who bring welcome depth and dimension to their formulaic roles. It's basically Top Gun for the Coast Guard, with Costner playing a legendary rescuer haunted by recent tragedy and the impending break-up of his marriage, and Kutcher as the hot-shot recruit whose bravado is tested when Costner takes over a grueling 18-week basic training course, where a 50% attrition rate ensures that only the best will make the grade. There's nothing particularly inventive about Ron L. Brinkerhoff's screenplay, but it's intelligently written and well-directed (by The Fugitive helmer Andrew Davis) as it shows how seasoned veteran and troubled but talented trainee build mutual respect while sorting through the trauma of accidents that left each of them as sole survivors, tormented by self-doubt and guilt. Bolstered by a strong supporting cast including Neal McDonough, John Heard, Sela Ward and Clancy Brown, The Guardian is a bit on the long side (137 minutes), but it never feels slow, and a romantic subplot (with Kutcher wooing a schoolteacher played by Melissa Sagemiller) blends nicely with thrilling ocean-rescue sequences incorporating a seamless blend of CGI and footage shot in a 750,000-gallon water tank. Music fans will welcome the scene-stealing appearance of veteran singer Bonnie Bramlett as the owner of a jazz/blues club near the training base, where The Guardian serves up yet another staple of its genre: the barroom brawl. Although Hurricane Katrina prevented The Guardian from being filmed in New Orleans in 2005, real-life footage during the closing credits makes it clear that the Coast Guard was essential in Katrina's aftermath, and this rousing drama pays overdue tribute to those who risk there lives (to quote the Coast Guard's motto) "so that others may live." --Jeff Shannon
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 170 more reviews...
 The Poor Man's "Officer and a Gentleman" May 13, 2009
Mike Crestwood (New York)
Being a member of the CG Auxiliary I had high hopes for this movie. I was very disappointed. What could have been a good but often told tale of "the old veteran training young upshots" quickly degenerated into a rip-off of the vastly superior "Officer and a Gentleman," right down to the spray-the-young-recruit-with-a-hose scene. The only good things were Kutcher's love interest, and the old lady who owned the bar Costner's character frequents; good actresses. And the ending where Costner's character kills himself made no sense at all. Dumb! Save your money and rent the Richard Gere/Debra winger classic instead.
 uggghhhh!! April 21, 2009
abraxasworld (berwyn, il)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
i like costner and kutcher just fine and wanted to like this movie, but (oh jesus!!!!!!!!!) it was awful. The screenplay was utter [..], leading us to devastatingly horrible acting. I could watch it again and try to give it another shot, but it is just not worth it. I remember sitting in the movie theater and cringing in the pain of how horrible it was to watch this. Watch at your own risk!!
 Fianlly a movie about the coast guard April 4, 2009
Stanwyck (Texas)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This movie is good- and bad. The story is shot full of cliches, and it's more than predicable. The ending is somewhat implausible, and there are more than a few segments that are REALLY dull. Costner's character is cut right out of a Hollywood cookie-cutter- the man who is so involved in his job that it's ruining his marriage. Ashton Kutcher is the cookie cutter upstart that finally gains the respect of the older man.
Worth a look, but nothing special.
 The Guardian March 31, 2009
Betty A. Fritze
We really enjoyed the movie and we pleased with the fast service from this seller.
A ROUSING, THOUGH UNORIGINAL ACTION-ADVENTURE December 30, 2008
Geary A., Jones
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Though you've seen this formula concoction a myriad of times in various film genres, the acting is quite excellent, and the action pulse-pounding. I had assumed that Ashton Kutcher couldn't act before seeing this movie ( but he more than proved me wrong here ), and Costner definitely delivered the goods. The direction by Andrew Davis is crisp, and writer, Ron L. Brinkerhoff's dialogue is non-fatty, and on the mark. THE GUARDIAN is a long-overdue paen to the mostly unsung heroes of the Coast Guard Rescue teams.
|
|
|
