Supreme Sanction

In my mind Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Brasco) is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He has given some great performances (watch him out-act all of the talented actors in Reservoir Dogs). But he hasn't gotten as much respect as he deserves because besides some big movies (Donnie Brasco, Free Willy 1 and 2, The Getaway, Thelma and Louise) he has appeared in more low-budget, small, often direct-to-video films. Once again Madsen appears in a small film, this time debuting on HBO. The story line is similar to the much superior (though average) film The Replacement Killers. Kristy Swanson (8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, The Chase) plays a government assassin who refuses to kill a famous reporter because she sees him with his kid. Because she does this, her government agency orders Madsen and friends to kill her. This starts off some boring action scenes. Swanson though a talented actress in unconvincing as a professional assassin. The other actors are average at best. Once again, Michael Madsen saves the day. If it wasn't for Madsen's strong presence this film would be horrible not just below-average. The film would have been a lot better had Madsen received more screen time. Recommended only for Madsen's performance.

Supreme Sanction is a movie about a female assassin who works for the U.S. government. She has to kill a known TV reporter, but spares his life when she sees that he has a little daughter. Because she hasn't killed him, she becomes the next target of her employers.

The script isn't good although I've seen worse B-movies. A hit-man with remorse, the government killing innocent people in the name of fighting terror,... What's next? Aliens rescuing the victim??? No, Supreme Sanction will never win any award because of the script. And the acting isn't any better I'm afraid. A few better known actors (Michael Madsen and Kristy Swanson), who clearly had a lot of bills to pay and therefor accepted to play in this movie, together with some other actors who probably don't even know what a camera really looks like don't do any good to the movie either.

So why should you watch this movie? Well, if you haven't got anything better to do but to watch some action flick and you are tired of the 10,531st rerun of Mc Gyver or the A-team, than this might be the movie you want to see. Otherwise you better leave it alone. I give it a 3/10.

See! Kristy Swanson's career go down the drain right before your very eyes.

Witness! Michael Madsen look tough and say tough things.

Watch! A movie eerily reminiscent of every other direct-to-video release in the last decade.

Behold! The horrible travesty that is 'Supreme Sanction'.

Give this one a pass, there's nothing of any interest here.

2/10

A government assassin (Kirsty Swanson), disturbed by the demoralization within her operation, refuses to kill a reporter (David Dukes) and instead teams up with him to break his story of corruption in her agency, all while being hunted by her ex-trainer (Michael Madsen) and ex-boss (Ron Perlman), and protected by her good natured "gadget man" (Donald Faison).  

This is an above average TV movie that's fun to watch. A decent plot that you actually do have to give some attention to. Enjoyable performances. Not to mention that it was interesting to see half the cast of the comedy "Tinseltown" (Dukes, Perlman, Swanson) reunited in something completely different.

Worth a rent/buy used.

After reading the other comments, I again feel we all did not see the same movie. I liked it very much. I thought it was one of David Dukes' better movies. That is who made this movie for me. Though, I was quite impressed with Michael Madsen's performance.