Spartan (film)
Encyclopedia
Spartan is a 2004 American political thriller film written and directed by David Mamet
. It features Val Kilmer
, Derek Luke
, Tia Texada
, Ed O'Neill
, William H. Macy
, and Kristen Bell
. It was released in The United States
and Canada
on 12 March 2004.
) is a former Force Recon
Master Gunnery Sergeant
, acting as a selection cadre member for Delta Force
. While observing a "stress phase" exercise designed to evaluate Delta candidates, Scott meets recruit Curtis (Derek Luke
) and Sergeant Jacqueline Black (Tia Texada
), an edged-weapons ("knife-fighting") instructor. Sergeant Black and Curtis each demonstrate their competence, and make plain to Scott their ambitions to serve on future missions.
Scott is contacted to assist in a clandestine operation to find and recover the President's
daughter, Laura Newton (Kristen Bell
), later revealed to be abducted by members of an international sex slavery ring. Scott has two days to find Laura before the media reports her missing from her classes at Harvard
. They discover Laura was secretly involved in an escort service and track down her bordello, where the madam gives the location to a pay phone that serves as a contact point for the captors. When the phone is used, Scott and Curtis tail the captors to a beach house. As Scott enters the beach house, he and Curtis are provoked into killing the men in self-defense before they can learn anything more.
Calls placed to the pay phone are traced back to Tariq Asani (Saïd Taghmaoui
), a Lebanese federal prisoner. Under orders from Robert Burch (Ed O'Neill
), the head of the investigation, a robbery is staged at a gas station to intercept Asani's prisoner transport en route to a different facility for his medical treatment. Scott, pretending to be the robber, fakes killing the transport guard then kills the other inmate but spares Asani in exchange for Asani to use his connections to procure an immediate flight out of the country. As they flee, Asani confirms the sex slavery ring is based in Dubai
. Scott stops at a convenience store and goes inside to meet with Curtis to get a weapon and relay the information, but Asani spots an officer wearing a badge and opens fire with a shotgun from a parked truck nearby. Curtis is wounded and Scott has to shoot and kill Asani.
As Scott preps to travel to Dubai, a news broadcast reports that Laura and her college professor were discovered drowned while sailing off the coast of Martha's Vineyard
and consequently, the rescue operation is called off. Scott returns home, but Curtis approaches him with proof Laura was indeed at the beach house they visited and persuades Scott she couldn't have been killed in the boating accident. When Scott and Curtis return to the beach house to investigate further, Curtis is killed by a sniper observing the house from a boat nearby. Scott escapes and tries to contact Laura's mother with the evidence, but is prevented by a Secret Service agent. Upon seeing the proof of Laura's abduction, the agent admits the President pulled Laura's Secret Service detail to use as extra protection for himself during a trip he made to have an affair; making Laura vulnerable to the kidnappers. The President's handlers then faked her death to shield him from the political fallout that would result should the media learn of his actions. Scott meets with Sgt. Black and asks her help in rescuing Laura from Dubai.
Deprived of any support, Scott turns to Avi (Moshe Ivgy
), a former Israeli operative now working in the private sector
, who smuggles weapons for Scott into Dubai concealed in a cargo container. Scott and "Jones" (Kick Gurry
), an Australian mercenary
, locate the house where Laura is being held and ambush her captors as they bring her to a car to be moved. Jones is killed during the ensuing shootout and Scott flees with Laura to a safe house
. The following night, Scott takes Laura to the airport to hide inside the cargo container while it's flown to Geneva
. Scott discovers he is being tracked when he finds a transmitter in his knife and rushes Laura out of the container just as Stoddard (William H. Macy
) and operatives arrive seeking to apprehend them. Stoddard gives chase through the hangar and shoots Scott, separating him from Laura. Stoddard hands Laura over to one of his operatives and implies she will be killed to maintain the cover story, then continues to search for Scott who has hidden somewhere in the hangar.
The operative turns out to be Sgt. Black, who ignores Stoddard's orders and delivers Laura to a private jet belonging to a Swedish news agency preparing for takeoff nearby. The journalists immediately recognize Laura and allow her aboard, but Sgt. Black is shot dead by Stoddard in the process. Scott then uses his knife to slit Stoddard's throat just as the jet takes off with Laura safely aboard. Afterwards, in London
, a news broadcast seen from a shop's window explains that Laura's death was faked as a ploy to assist in her rescue, with the credit being publicly given to Burch. Furthermore, as a result of Laura's kidnapping, the U.S. Government promises to take action to end international sex slave trafficking. Scott watches the broadcast with a smile, and then takes a casual walk alone through the downtown streets of the city.
used in the film is "The Spartan" by Severtech and was designed for this film. The Dubai locales were filmed in Los Angeles, California. Eric L. Haney
, a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major who operated in Delta Force
, was the technical advisor, and briefly appears. After Spartan, he and Mamet created The Unit
television series about an Army unit mirroring Delta Force. Alexandra Kerry
, daughter of U.S. senator, John Kerry
, is a bartender in the film. David Mamet's Rabbi
, Mordechai Finley, appears as one of the training cadre.
and 60% on Metacritic
. Roger Ebert in The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a four-star rating saying that "The particular pleasure of 'Spartan' is to watch the characters gradually define themselves and the plot gradually emerge like your face in a steamy mirror." Tim Robey in The Daily Telegraph
felt the film was let down by a "botched" finale, "as though Mamet felt obliged to reproduce a standard-issue Tom Clancy
climax while knowing that this wasn't the way to go."
David Mamet
David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter and film director.Best known as a playwright, Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and received a Tony nomination for Glengarry Glen Ross . He also received a Tony nomination for Speed-the-Plow . As a screenwriter, he received Oscar...
. It features Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
, Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
, Tia Texada
Tia Texada
Tia Texada is an American actress and singer. She is probably best known for portraying the role of Sgt. Maritza Cruz from the American television show Third Watch and for her role as Shay on ABC Family's Huge.Texada was born in Louisiana to a reflexologist mother and an insurance agent father...
, Ed O'Neill
Ed O'Neill
Edward Phillip "Ed" O'Neill, Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the main character, Al Bundy, on the Fox Network sitcom Married... with Children, for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes...
, William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
, and Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...
. It was released in The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on 12 March 2004.
Plot
Bobby Scott (Val KilmerVal Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
) is a former Force Recon
United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
The Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
Master Gunnery Sergeant
Master Gunnery Sergeant
Master Gunnery Sergeant is the ninth and highest enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps...
, acting as a selection cadre member for Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
. While observing a "stress phase" exercise designed to evaluate Delta candidates, Scott meets recruit Curtis (Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
) and Sergeant Jacqueline Black (Tia Texada
Tia Texada
Tia Texada is an American actress and singer. She is probably best known for portraying the role of Sgt. Maritza Cruz from the American television show Third Watch and for her role as Shay on ABC Family's Huge.Texada was born in Louisiana to a reflexologist mother and an insurance agent father...
), an edged-weapons ("knife-fighting") instructor. Sergeant Black and Curtis each demonstrate their competence, and make plain to Scott their ambitions to serve on future missions.
Scott is contacted to assist in a clandestine operation to find and recover the President's
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
daughter, Laura Newton (Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...
), later revealed to be abducted by members of an international sex slavery ring. Scott has two days to find Laura before the media reports her missing from her classes at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. They discover Laura was secretly involved in an escort service and track down her bordello, where the madam gives the location to a pay phone that serves as a contact point for the captors. When the phone is used, Scott and Curtis tail the captors to a beach house. As Scott enters the beach house, he and Curtis are provoked into killing the men in self-defense before they can learn anything more.
Calls placed to the pay phone are traced back to Tariq Asani (Saïd Taghmaoui
Saïd Taghmaoui
Saïd Taghmaoui is a French actor and screenwriter. One of his defining screen roles was that of Saïd in the award winning 1995 French film La Haine directed by Mathieu Kassovitz...
), a Lebanese federal prisoner. Under orders from Robert Burch (Ed O'Neill
Ed O'Neill
Edward Phillip "Ed" O'Neill, Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the main character, Al Bundy, on the Fox Network sitcom Married... with Children, for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes...
), the head of the investigation, a robbery is staged at a gas station to intercept Asani's prisoner transport en route to a different facility for his medical treatment. Scott, pretending to be the robber, fakes killing the transport guard then kills the other inmate but spares Asani in exchange for Asani to use his connections to procure an immediate flight out of the country. As they flee, Asani confirms the sex slavery ring is based in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
. Scott stops at a convenience store and goes inside to meet with Curtis to get a weapon and relay the information, but Asani spots an officer wearing a badge and opens fire with a shotgun from a parked truck nearby. Curtis is wounded and Scott has to shoot and kill Asani.
As Scott preps to travel to Dubai, a news broadcast reports that Laura and her college professor were discovered drowned while sailing off the coast of Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
and consequently, the rescue operation is called off. Scott returns home, but Curtis approaches him with proof Laura was indeed at the beach house they visited and persuades Scott she couldn't have been killed in the boating accident. When Scott and Curtis return to the beach house to investigate further, Curtis is killed by a sniper observing the house from a boat nearby. Scott escapes and tries to contact Laura's mother with the evidence, but is prevented by a Secret Service agent. Upon seeing the proof of Laura's abduction, the agent admits the President pulled Laura's Secret Service detail to use as extra protection for himself during a trip he made to have an affair; making Laura vulnerable to the kidnappers. The President's handlers then faked her death to shield him from the political fallout that would result should the media learn of his actions. Scott meets with Sgt. Black and asks her help in rescuing Laura from Dubai.
Deprived of any support, Scott turns to Avi (Moshe Ivgy
Moshe Ivgy
Moshe Ivgy is a Moroccan-born Israeli actor and director.-Biography:Moshe Ivgy was born in Casablanca, Morocco. He was married to actress Irit Sheleg. Their daughter Dana Ivgy is also an actress...
), a former Israeli operative now working in the private sector
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
, who smuggles weapons for Scott into Dubai concealed in a cargo container. Scott and "Jones" (Kick Gurry
Kick Gurry
Christopher "Kick" Gurry an Australian actor born in Melbourne, Australia.-Early life:Gurry got his nickname when his brother could not say Christopher so he said Kicker...
), an Australian mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, locate the house where Laura is being held and ambush her captors as they bring her to a car to be moved. Jones is killed during the ensuing shootout and Scott flees with Laura to a safe house
Safe house
In the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a safe house is a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger...
. The following night, Scott takes Laura to the airport to hide inside the cargo container while it's flown to Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. Scott discovers he is being tracked when he finds a transmitter in his knife and rushes Laura out of the container just as Stoddard (William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
) and operatives arrive seeking to apprehend them. Stoddard gives chase through the hangar and shoots Scott, separating him from Laura. Stoddard hands Laura over to one of his operatives and implies she will be killed to maintain the cover story, then continues to search for Scott who has hidden somewhere in the hangar.
The operative turns out to be Sgt. Black, who ignores Stoddard's orders and delivers Laura to a private jet belonging to a Swedish news agency preparing for takeoff nearby. The journalists immediately recognize Laura and allow her aboard, but Sgt. Black is shot dead by Stoddard in the process. Scott then uses his knife to slit Stoddard's throat just as the jet takes off with Laura safely aboard. Afterwards, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, a news broadcast seen from a shop's window explains that Laura's death was faked as a ploy to assist in her rescue, with the credit being publicly given to Burch. Furthermore, as a result of Laura's kidnapping, the U.S. Government promises to take action to end international sex slave trafficking. Scott watches the broadcast with a smile, and then takes a casual walk alone through the downtown streets of the city.
Cast
- Val KilmerVal KilmerVal Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
as "Bobby Scott" - Derek LukeDerek LukeDerek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
as Curtis - Tia TexadaTia TexadaTia Texada is an American actress and singer. She is probably best known for portraying the role of Sgt. Maritza Cruz from the American television show Third Watch and for her role as Shay on ABC Family's Huge.Texada was born in Louisiana to a reflexologist mother and an insurance agent father...
as Sergeant Jackie Black - Kristen BellKristen BellKristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...
as Laura Newton - Johnny Messner as Grace
- Ed O'NeillEd O'NeillEdward Phillip "Ed" O'Neill, Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the main character, Al Bundy, on the Fox Network sitcom Married... with Children, for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes...
as Robert Burch - William H. MacyWilliam H. MacyWilliam Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
as Stoddard - Clark GreggClark GreggRobert Clark Gregg is an American actor, screenwriter and director. He co-starred as Christine Campbell's ex-husband Richard in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine, which debuted in March 2006 and concluded in May 2010...
as Miller - Natalia NogulichNatalia NogulichNatalia Nogulich is an American actress.Nogulich was born Natalija Nogulich in Chicago, Illinois, of Serbian descent. Her best-known appearances have been on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Vice Admiral/Fleet Admiral Alynna Nechayev...
as Nadya Tellich - Moshe IvgyMoshe IvgyMoshe Ivgy is a Moroccan-born Israeli actor and director.-Biography:Moshe Ivgy was born in Casablanca, Morocco. He was married to actress Irit Sheleg. Their daughter Dana Ivgy is also an actress...
as Avi - Kick GurryKick GurryChristopher "Kick" Gurry an Australian actor born in Melbourne, Australia.-Early life:Gurry got his nickname when his brother could not say Christopher so he said Kicker...
as "Jones"
Origin of title
- Spartans title makes multiple allusions:
- King Leonidas ILeonidas ILeonidas I was a hero-king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line, one of the sons of King Anaxandridas II of Sparta, who was believed in mythology to be a descendant of Heracles, possessing much of the latter's strength and bravery...
, of SpartaSpartaSparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, is said to have sent one soldier when a neighboring state requested militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
aid. - As Scott says, "One riot, one Ranger". Previously, Mamet used that dialogue in House of GamesHouse of GamesHouse of Games is David Mamet's 1987 film directorial debut. Mamet wrote the screenplay himself, from a story he devised with Jonathan Katz. The film's cast includes Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna, Ricky Jay, and J. T. Walsh.-Plot:...
; and it has subsequently been used in The UnitThe UnitThe Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
. The remark is said to be Texas RangersTexas Ranger DivisionThe Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
lore. - The film's minimalistMinimalismMinimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
style, from the characters' clipped dialogue; to its music (violin and, later, bagpipes, used sparingly); to Mamet's efficient resolution of a plot line that frequently (and intentionally) threatens to become unwieldy. - The recurring use of dialogue reinforcing the basic story line -- "Where is the girl?", "I'm here to get the girl back", "Is she safe?", etc. -- intended to emphasize the minimalist narrative style that the film's title evokes.
- King Leonidas I
Production
The automatic knifeSwitchblade
A switchblade is a type of knife with a folding or sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened automatically by a spring when a button, lever, or switch on the handle or bolster is activated A switchblade (also known as an automatic knife, pushbutton knife, switch, Sprenger, Springer,...
used in the film is "The Spartan" by Severtech and was designed for this film. The Dubai locales were filmed in Los Angeles, California. Eric L. Haney
Eric L. Haney
Eric L. Haney is a retired member of the United States Army counterterrorist unit, the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta , more commonly known as Delta Force. In recent years he has been writing on terrorism, guerrilla warfare, and special operations...
, a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major who operated in Delta Force
Delta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
, was the technical advisor, and briefly appears. After Spartan, he and Mamet created The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
television series about an Army unit mirroring Delta Force. Alexandra Kerry
Alexandra Kerry
Alexandra Forbes Kerry is a film producer and film director.Alexandra Kerry is the elder daughter of current Massachusetts Senator and 2004 US Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Her mother was Julia Thorne, who was married to John Kerry from 1970 until their divorce in 1988. Alexandra...
, daughter of U.S. senator, John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, is a bartender in the film. David Mamet's Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, Mordechai Finley, appears as one of the training cadre.
Reception
Spartan received mixed but generally good reviews and has a score of 65% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
and 60% on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Roger Ebert in The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a four-star rating saying that "The particular pleasure of 'Spartan' is to watch the characters gradually define themselves and the plot gradually emerge like your face in a steamy mirror." Tim Robey in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
felt the film was let down by a "botched" finale, "as though Mamet felt obliged to reproduce a standard-issue Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
climax while knowing that this wasn't the way to go."