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List Price: $19.99 | | Label: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Salesrank: 4163
Released: January 23, 2007 |
| Our Price: $7.49 |
| Used Price: $1.99 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
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.Features: Audio commentary (with Andrew Davis and writer Ron L. Brinkerhoff (also optional commentary on the deleted scenes))Alternate ending(s) (with on-camera introduction by Andrew Davis)Featurette ("Unsung Heroes" tribute to the real-life U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers; "Making Waves" making-of)System Requirements:Run Time: 139 minFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG - 13 UPC: 786936705119 Manufacturer No: 5064803
Description of The Guardian:
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
The Guardian Reviews:
Too long but good flick. 
2008-06-30 - The Guardian starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher focuses on the important work of U.S. Coast Guards and all the hard training these young men/women have to endure. The two stars give powerful performances, I was very impressed by Kutcher's acting chops and he has a nice body too. Sela Ward feels a little bit out of place who plays Costner's long suffering wife. My only gripe is that this film is 45 minutes too long, The Guardian is a good and well-directed film, watch it sometime.
You Won't Be Bored! 
2008-06-26 - This film is jam-packed with action about true life adventures. It will leave you with overwhelming respect for the men in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Along with all the heart-stopping action, you see the softer side and an underlying determination that is rare in today's society. These men are a rare breed and it shows the tenacity and true heart with which they perform their life-saving feats.
I am honored to be a citizen of this great country and proud of all of our military for the sacrifices they make daily. THANK YOU on behalf of our entire family!
Guardian is a re-make of a Japanese Movie/Comic Book/TV series, named Umizaru
2008-05-13 - I watched the movie recently on a plane and found the movie is a re-make or a Hollywood version of the 2004 Japanese movie Umizaru, which is based on a Japanese Comic Book and a TV series of the same title, which is about the Japanese Coastal Guard. The storylines touch on the training, the ordeal, the iron fist trainer, etc, I would say over 85% resemblance. I do not have the chance to scan through the credit at the end of the movie to see if there is an acknowledgement of the original screen writer.
The Japanese version is recommended and you can order it via Amazon. Here is the link.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_d?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=umizaru
Great Movie / Good Graphics
2008-04-21 - A well made movie with lots of good special effects and sound - turn the volume up on the water rescue scenes.
Great movie with an amazing...and unexpected...ending!
2008-03-28 - I loved this movie! I bought it mainly because Kevin Costner was in it, and he tends to star in good films. Since I only knew Ashton Kutcher from "That 70's Show" and his connection to Demi Moore, I wasn't sure what to expect from him. Both Costner and Kutcher played their parts tremendously and had great on-screen chemistry.
This is a story about the U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers. Costner plays Ben, a celebrated rescue swimmer who has saved hundreds of lives, but who has recently experienced a great tragedy during a rescue, not to mention the fact that his wife is leaving him.
He is temporarily asked to train potential rescue swimmers to give him a break from rescuing. There, he meets Jake (played by Kutcher), a cocky swim champion who's out to break all the records Ben set when he was going through his training.
Ben rides Jake hard, because he thinks he's just interested in the U.S. Coast Guard training to break records, not to save lives. As the story progresses, he finds out a secret from Jake's past that puts things into perspective, and the two men form a strong friendship.
In addition to being a very moving story, there's a lot of humor in the film. At one point, Jake is sitting in a bar complaining to his girlfriend that he'd had a bad day because Ben had been riding him and said he thought he was just jealous because he broke his records. The bartender then holds up an article she'd framed about an amazing, selfless rescue Ben had made and she tells Jake that until he can break that record, he basically has nothing to brag about. To which, Jake turns to his girlfriend and says, "My day wasn't that bad." Subtle humor.
This is a really good movie, that holds your attention throughout. And the ending blew me away. It was definitely not what I was expecting. I was still in shock as they rolled through the credits at the end. If you're looking for a film that's great from start to finish, this is one to see!
