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Average User Score: 8 (58 sources)

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CTUBauer24

-1

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An ok movie not the best movie it could have been but an ok one.
The rescue scenes looked nice. the school where most of the movie takes place and a little slow. this isn't the best movie of the year but it ins't the worst 3 Stars.

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Posted oct 12, 2008 5:21 am pt

Fwirrel

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The story in this episode is the basic formula - a mentor wanting the student to reach his potential and they become friends, yadda yadda. However, the characters and back stories and love stories make this movie great. The ending was perfect....
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The story in this episode is the basic formula - a mentor wanting the student to reach his potential and they become friends, yadda yadda. However, the characters and back stories and love stories make this movie great. The ending was perfect. This is a movie I would recommend if you want something heartfelt and different - as there are not many movies about the coast guard.

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Posted sep 28, 2008 5:55 am pt

supercin721

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Formulaic though it may be, it was still a heartfelt, feel good/sad movie. I am a Costner fan despite the "bad" films I have to sit through, despite the pretentious air he takes in interviews, and despite the fact that in many of his...
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Formulaic though it may be, it was still a heartfelt, feel good/sad movie. I am a Costner fan despite the "bad" films I have to sit through, despite the pretentious air he takes in interviews, and despite the fact that in many of his movies he winds up alone or dead, emphasizing the self-sacrificing tone of his characters. This movie is no different. There is the older man, teaching the younger generation, teaching them about sacrifice, maturity, bravery, etc., and getting occasionally frustrated in doing it. The older man also has little ties that bind him as his work has encompassed his life and pushed his wife to wayside. A wonderfully raw and honest scene comes when he witnesses a man trying to drown his wife in order to survive. It was natural, human, and so completely "wrong." And yet, you wonder what you would do...would you be willing to sacrifice your life for a loved one, let alone a stranger, in a situation like that. Hence, the purupose of the film. It was an homage to the Coast Guard, to the very people willing to sacrifice simply so "that others may live." It was that scene that packed a powerful punch for the viewer and Costner's character. In a way, he redeems all by sacrificing his own life for his prodigee. Bittersweet for the viewer but heartfelt as well if not completely contrived to evoke just that reaction in the viewer. The DVD extras shows alternate endings but this seems to fit. How else could it end? No wife, no life...I suppose this was the way he would end. But, in true fashion, it wasn't his "end" because, if you believe in said legends (I don't), the legend of him lives on. "There's a legend of a man who lives beneath the sea. He's a fisher of men, a last hope for all those who have been left behind. He is known as the Guardian." As for Ashton's character...he goes off into the sunset with his girlfriend, realizing that love and his own personal life were more important than his career. The acting was fine, on par with their usual work, though it was nice to see Ashton play something other than a goofball. Fine film but make sure to have a few tissues...just in case.

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Posted feb 8, 2008 11:59 pm pt

expatriot

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Some people may think this is a standard script about an experienced guy teaching a young rookie the ropes, and technically they are right. However, the way in which a scritps is portrayed counts for a lot and in this case, despite me not being a...
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Some people may think this is a standard script about an experienced guy teaching a young rookie the ropes, and technically they are right. However, the way in which a scritps is portrayed counts for a lot and in this case, despite me not being a big Kevin Costner fan, it's portrayed very well! Both Costner and Kutcher show that they can act in this moving and even realistic movie. Sela Ward, as usual is excellent too, so do not discount this movie simply because of Costner or Kutcher, watch in and be pleasantly surprised.

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Posted aug 22, 2007 3:11 am pt

John666666666

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I skipped it when it came out in the theater thinking it was another crappy Kevin Costner movie. Two days ago I took a chance and rented it. Boy was I surprised at how good this movie was. This has to be the best Kevin Costner movie since Field...
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I skipped it when it came out in the theater thinking it was another crappy Kevin Costner movie. Two days ago I took a chance and rented it. Boy was I surprised at how good this movie was. This has to be the best Kevin Costner movie since Field of Dreams or Dances with Wolfs.

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Posted jun 3, 2007 6:33 am pt

joshkedwards

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wow, what a roller coaster of inconsistent writing making it hard to identify a central theme. costner yelled and rolled his eyes. kutcher talked back and did push ups. oorah!

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Posted apr 24, 2007 5:21 pm pt

chinadollM9

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This is a fabulous movie, really!! My grandmother liked this one.

This shows you that everyone has a hard time at work. Some are only in for the glory, but there are the brave few that are out there to make a difference in the world...
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This is a fabulous movie, really!! My grandmother liked this one.

This shows you that everyone has a hard time at work. Some are only in for the glory, but there are the brave few that are out there to make a difference in the world they are able to effect, to saves lives when no one else can or will.

The rescue scenes look very realistic. You get a glimpse into the life of the coast guard and what they actually do on a day to day basis.

The acting is as best average with nobody really shining here. Costner and Kutcher played their part down to a tee. I liked that Costner showed the students how things really are out in the world of the coast guards, unlike most teachers.

This is a movie worth seeing over and over, well to see great the action sequences,but to see what a heroic job the coast guard is doing for us.

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Posted apr 18, 2007 3:49 am pt

afq2846

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If there are any hollywood cliches left that have not been used in this movie I would like to know. This movie has them all down to the sad hollywood ending. Costner plays an older coast guarder who has problems doing the job so he is send to the...
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If there are any hollywood cliches left that have not been used in this movie I would like to know. This movie has them all down to the sad hollywood ending. Costner plays an older coast guarder who has problems doing the job so he is send to the academy to train the new crop of Coast guarders. Kutcher plays the new hot rookie who wants to break all the records. Yes there is this character in the movie. So the movie basically tells how Costner wants to break down the trainees to make them "better" with all the hollywood lines thrown in to boot. The parallels are funny in the movie to the own actors careers. Costner's career seems to be winding down as Kutcher is going up (well he hopes it is). I think the major selling point of this movie are the action sequences which I have to admit are really well done. You are almost in the middle of the rescue sequences and they look very realistic. You get a glimpse into the life of a coast guarder and what they actually do on a day to day basis. The acting is as best average with nobody really shining here. I think that their job is very admirable and they play it up to a tee. This is a average movie that is worth a rental just for the action sequences and to see what a heroic job the coast guard does.

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Posted mar 16, 2007 9:40 am pt

Fat_Boy_PT

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"The Guardian" is a guy's movie. It's about bonding, its about the relationship between the old teacher and the young disciple, its at its core about heroes and legends and how they are created. Every guy can relate to that. It gets its...
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"The Guardian" is a guy's movie. It's about bonding, its about the relationship between the old teacher and the young disciple, its at its core about heroes and legends and how they are created. Every guy can relate to that. It gets its message across without being too sentimental, or over dramatic. It's an entertaining, even if too long, movie, that pays homage to the good people of the Coast Guard, and tries to put a new spin on an old story. We've all seen this concept, old-young, both learn from each other, sort of thing. The Guardian tries to keep it fresh and while it doesn't always succeed, the end result is acceptable although nothing that will blow us away. Still it's a movie with good intentions, with a positive message about worthy people. It deserves a chance. I'm glad I gave it one.

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Posted mar 4, 2007 2:19 am pt

viveckvivu

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The Guardian. I really liked The Guardian. It was really good. I didnt see it in the big screen, but I rented a DVD. But after seeing the movie, I wanted to see this movie in the big screen. I liked the way they saved the people from the deadly...
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The Guardian. I really liked The Guardian. It was really good. I didnt see it in the big screen, but I rented a DVD. But after seeing the movie, I wanted to see this movie in the big screen. I liked the way they saved the people from the deadly waves. The last scenes were the best.

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Posted mar 1, 2007 1:47 pm pt

• [+] Baltimore Sun
  
  83
  The Guardian is that rarest of cinematic commodities: an action movie displaying brains and heart and the opportunity for its stars to do something more than keep the narrative flowing between explosions.

  by Chris Kaltenbach | Read Full Review »
• [+] Portland Oregonian
  
  75
  The Guardian doesn't offer too many surprises. Except for one: it's genuinely well-made and, at least when it comes to the character Ben Randall, kind of moving.

  by M. E. Russell | Read Full Review »
• [+] Seattle Post-Intelligencer
  
  75
  The film's grueling training sequences have a perverse fascination, and, though he's nothing special here, Kutcher is probably the most appealing he has been in a big-screen role.

  by William Arnold | Read Full Review »
• [+] Variety
  
  70
  The overlong but involving drama has obvious cross-generational appeal.

  by Joe Leydon | Read Full Review »
• [+] Austin Chronicle
  
  67
  A surprisingly engaging character-driven picture: not quite Ingmar Bergman, of course, but not Michael Bay either.

  by Josh Rosenblatt | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
  
  63
  With high seas and crashing waves created by Canadian special-effects company Fusion CIS, there's nothing wrong with the nail-biting side of the equation featuring a sequence of distinct maritime accidents; it's the rest of the plot that is taking on water.

  by Kate Taylor | Read Full Review »
• [+] Chicago Tribune
  
  63
  Sometimes you want to buy an extra-large popcorn and settle in for a big budget Hollywood blockbuster replete with entertaining explosions, undemanding dialogue and completely unrealistic action sequences. If all that sounds like gloriously uncomplicated fun, The Guardian is your movie.

  by Jessica Reaves | Read Full Review »
• [+] Premiere
  
  63
  Ultimately a valentine to the unsung heroes of the US Coast Guard and it's probably long overdue.

  by Scott Warren | Read Full Review »
• [+] Philadelphia Inquirer
  
  63
  It's not easy being macho while you're shivering like a frozen puppy, but Kutcher pulls it off.

  by Steven Rea | Read Full Review »
• [+] New York Daily News
  
  63
  At its best when its heroes race furiously toward their missions, most of which involve jumping out of a helicopter into surging waves.

  by Elizabeth Weitzman | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Hollywood Reporter
  
  60
  That the film doesn't rise above the formulaic is a particular disappointment as these stunningly brave Rescue Swimmers deserve a film as daring as they are.

  by James Greenberg | Read Full Review »
• [+] The New York Times
  
  60
  An action movie, a basic training movie, a swaggering sea adventure, a home front melodrama and an inspiring tough-love heroic teacher fable. If the aggregate of all these movies is exhausting and occasionally overwrought, some of the parts are stirring and effective, though not exactly fresh.

  by A.O. Scott | Read Full Review »
• [+] Salon.com
  
  60
  As a story of courage and personal growth, The Guardian is perfunctory, a saga of character building that could (and may, advertently or otherwise) serve as a Coast Guard recruitment vehicle. But it's far more interesting as a tale of two faces: Kutcher and Costner have a kind of visual chemistry that's just as elusive as the other kind. And the connection and contrast between them remind us that Hollywood isn't as forgiving of older male actors as we like to think.

  by Stephanie Zacharek | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Onion (A.V. Club)
  
  58
  Tries tremendously hard to win audiences over with manly derring-do, exciting action, and impossible-obstacles-overcome uplift. And it's undeniably compelling for minutes at a time

  by Tasha Robinson | Read Full Review »
• [+] Entertainment Weekly
  
  58
  The movie represents an earnest effort to compensate for all the love the media has shown to firefighters and other land-based first responders in recent years with little thought to the Coast Guard; the drama also crashes on wave upon wave of clichés.

  by Lisa Schwarzbaum | Read Full Review »