Spartan

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Spartan

R

Released Jan 31, 2004

1h 47m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

132 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When the president's daughter, Laura Newton (Kristen Bell), is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring, high-ranking Secret Service agent Robert Scott (Val Kilmer) takes on the case. With the assistance of his protégé, Curtis (Derek Luke), Robert begins investigating, but the operation is called off when Laura is reported dead. However, Robert and Curtis, who have discovered evidence to the contrary, continue their search, and soon find evidence of an elaborate government cover-up.

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Critics Consensus

A good cast and Mamet's mastery over the written language elevate an otherwise conventional thriller.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Very violent movie ultimately just falls apart.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 28, 2010

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Barely memorable.

Rated: C+

May 4, 2005

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Peter Rainer

New York Magazine/Vulture

The real violence, as is always the case with Mamet, lies not in the mayhem but in the thrusting rhythms of the dialogue.

Aug 7, 2004

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Joshua Starnes

ComingSoon.net

He'll always be writer first, but for a relentless entertainment with actual with wit and soul, Spartan may just be the best thing David Mamet has done, certainly the best he has directed.

Rated: 8/10

Mar 30, 2011

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

A very well characterized thriller...

Apr 29, 2009

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Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 2/5

Aug 7, 2008

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Thanato p

I am a fan of David Mamet, so this was a disappointment. Starts off corny, gets mildly interesting, then turns confusing and regrettable. Editing can't save this; the story is too convoluted for that. Cast is largely good actors, but a few amateurs really stand out as terrible. The lighting crew on the nighttime scenes is jarringly bad--you've never seen such intense multi-directional moonlight and wacky shadows.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

07/08/23

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lloyd d

Loved it! Saw it again today, years later and thought it was brilliantly done for the most part. The dialogue is excellent. The movie clearly has its own particular tone, and a number of unfortunate twists that keep the chase going. The ending scene was perhaps a bit vague, and a sequel might have been a great idea. I found it a tense, enjoyable watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

This movie get's a lot of "meh" from reviewers but it's got a great cast (OK and Val Kilmer) a twisty plot, and some good action.Absolutely worth watching.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

Surprised at how good the movie was from start to finish, then saw it was a David Mamet screenplay. Tight script, taut performances, not so many layers to characters, but in exchange, pace is crisp.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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jack s

I checked out Spartan because of my admiration for much of Mamet's other work. However, the political action-thriller genre doesn't appear to be a good fit for his talents. The plot, particularly the early scenes, is baffling. Plus, there's very little suspense or excitement in the humdrum action finale. A strong cast tries their best, but not one of the characters onscreen is likable, or even interesting enough to care about. A lot of critics cited the typically great Mamet dialog in their reviews, but they appear to be referencing other films because frankly there's not even much of that on display here.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A bit like Taken, but just much worse. Good: Got me to sleep. Bad: Clumsy action scenes, cluttered and confusing storyline, too many characters, hard to follow. Conclusion: Probably not worth watching, just watch Taken or 24 instead for a much better viewing experience.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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David Mamet

Director

Val Kilmer

Scott

Derek Luke

Curtis

William H. Macy

Stoddard

Ed O'Neill

Burch

Kristen Bell

Laura Newton

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Synopsis

When the president's daughter, Laura Newton (Kristen Bell), is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring, high-ranking Secret Service agent Robert Scott (Val Kilmer) takes on the case. With the assistance of his protégé, Curtis (Derek Luke), Robert begins investigating, but the operation is called off when Laura is reported dead. However, Robert and Curtis, who have discovered evidence to the contrary, continue their search, and soon find evidence of an elaborate government cover-up.

Director: David Mamet
Producer: Moshe Diamant, Elie Samaha
Screenwriter: David Mamet
Distributor: Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Franchise Pictures
Rating: R (Violence|Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 31, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.4M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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