24: Redemption

If Rodney Dangerfield were alive, hardened and seasoned as a government agent, he would be Jack Bauer. Jack don't get no respect. Without spoiling the sixth season for those who have yet to watch it, our world-class hero Jack, always the odd one out, is now in a fictional African country, helping his old friend, played by the wonderful Robert Carlyle, with missionary work, trying to heal his staggering emotional wounds with peace. He has been served a subpoena to appear before the U.S. Senate concerning torture charges, but declines to go. A U.S. State Department official hints that the Embassy will cut funding for the school if Carlyle goes on protecting Jack, so Jack decides to leave. If that's not enough, he winds up stuck in the middle of a bloody military coup.

Redemption is entertaining and well-acted, and it certainly primes us for the seventh season. Nonetheless I can see why it has been a very long process preparing the theatrical 24 film. Redemption maintains the real-time structural element, which the theatrical film reportedly will not have, but either way, 24 is a series that has transcended the conceivable scope of the feature motion picture. The character archs, gigantic sequence of unravelings and long-term investment in the characters is inherently designed for hours and hours of television. Redemption, on the other hand, is only an hour and forty minutes, which even still is twenty minutes longer than the version that was broadcast on TV not including commercials.

Also, I am unsure of whether or not the creators wanted to have the opportunity to do a lone Jack Bauer piece, but using this TV film as objectivity, one can easily tell that one of the vital elements in the show's scaffolding is its colorful, deeply observed and brilliantly histrionic characters.

However, I am looking forward to Cherry Jones being president and hopefully being rid of Powers Boothe's weak and uncompromising president. And I hope Jon Voight doesn't play essentially the same character as he did in Enemy of the State.

A full length episode of 24, but does it work? Well, I can't help it, but this seems to be kind of rushed. The script and story aren't as good as it should be. I felt kind of bored watching this.

Jack seems to be a bit "overpowered" and he seems to have a gift to dodge bullets. Okay I know this happens in a lot, but they kind of over do it here.

I like the way that it is real time. Unlike in the series, it seems like it is possible to do all the things they do in the given time period. It doesn't feel the 24ish though, one of the most vital part of 24 CTU is not involved in the movie at all.

With that said, it is not that bad. It seems like quite a nice start of the 7th season, and it is nice to get into more details about what has happened between the two seasons. They didn't max out the potential of the movie, the script and story was in my opinion a bit dull.

But if you like the series and plan to follow the 7th season, be sure to check this one out.

It is going to be difficult to maintain the exceptional standards "24" has set over the years, however this feature length episode doesn't quite deliver as hoped. Re-worked formulas shows lack of creative imagination, something previous Seasons have (mostly) avoided. The script isn't as sharp as normal, possibly targeted at a less astute audience, and the characters lack subtlety. Too many bullets miraculously missing Jack and a sense of deja-vu. Whilst Robert Carlyle puts in a very credible performance, less believable is the UN Aid worker who is so crassly portrayed. Hopefully Season 7 will see improvement.

Redemption is fundamentally a prequel to season 7 . Set 18 months where Season 6 of '24' left off, two-fisted, former government agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is in a self-imposed exile in the fictitious African country of Sangala where he hopes to escape from a U. S. investigation of him for his past methods , and to run from his past. Bauer works at a mission school for orphaned children run by his friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle) . The country is at the mercy of a villain warlord general named Juma (Tony Todd) who is plotting a coup to overthrow the government and his right-hand man , rogue Colonel Dubaku (Haakem Kazin) , is abducting orphan boys . Jack Bauer confronts nasty African general/aspiring dictator Benjamin Juma, whose forces have been ordered to capture the children Bauer oversees for malicious military training. Bauer and Benton must work together to save the dozen or so boys and try to get them out of the country before Juma takes over. Meanwhile in Washington D. C., it is Inauguration Day where the outgoing President Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe) is handing over the presidency to the first female president Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones). Hearing about the coup, Daniels wants to evacuate the country before it falls to the ominous general, while Taylor thinks otherwise. Elsewhere, Taylor's son Roger (Eric Lively) and his girlfriend Samantha (Carly Pope) get wind of information from a friend about suspicious money transactions where he works at a local brokerage firm. But neither he or Roger are aware that a corrupt corporate mogul, Jonas Hodges (John Voight) , is scheming with General Juma to overthrow the government for monetary purposes and will do anything to keep his nefarious plans under wraps. Save the day !. Hope has a fighting chance !. History will be made, a new enemy will rise, and the only hope to stop him has disappeared... until now !. To the world, he's dead. But soon, he'll become the most wanted man alive !. The terror alert level has just been raised !. Every Second Counts !. A new day begins !. He's tried to escape it. He's tried to silence it !. But for Jack Bauer...instinct never dies !. Who do you trust when the people who are sworn to protect you, conspire against you? !. To stop these attacks Jack Bauer has to be sacrificed !.

This 24: Redemption(2008) belong to 24 (2001-2010) series stars Kiefer Sutherland asJack Bauer (195 episodes, 2001-2010) , Mary Lynn Rajskub , Carlos Bernard , Dennis Haysbert , Elisha Cuthbert , James Morrison , among others . In this concept drama, each season takes place within one 24 hour period . In 24 Kiefer Sutherland gives a nice acting as counter Terrorism Agent Jack Bauer who races against the clock to subvert terrorist plots and save his nation from ultimate disaster. And in 24: Redemption(2008) Jack must face the toughest challenge and events of the film taking place between seasons six and seven of the series, and are continued in season seven , the opening sequence marks the first time in the history of the series events did not transpire in real time and it takes place between 3:00 p.m. GMT (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time) and 5:00 p.m. GMT (12:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Dealing with continuous coups in the ungovernable countries of Africa and a relentless denounce against the forcibly recruiting kiddies into African armies and their brainwashing and their obligation to kill enemies . Stars a very good cast , such as : Cherry Jones as President-Elect Allison Taylor ,Powers Boothe as ex-President , Bob Gunton , Colm Feore , Robert Carlyle , Jon Voight , Peter MacNicol , Gil Bellows , Hakeem Kae-Kazim , Isaach De Bankole, Kris Lemche , Eric Lively, Carly Pope , Sebastian Roché , Sean Cameron Michael , Tony Todd , among others .

This telefilm was lavishly produced by Brannon Braga, Manny Coto, David Fury, Paul Gadd , Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon and well directed by Jon Cassar (Forsaken, Terra Nova, Between , Nikita, Daybreak , When the Bough Breaks) who made several episodes of the successful series . While filming the first episode of the 24 (2001) fourth season, he filmed the opening CTU scenes in such a way that the audience first sees the changes made to the building at the same time Jack Bauer does. Cassar has a strong friendship with 24 star and fellow Canadian Kiefer Sutherland. After Sutherland won the 2006 SAG Award for best actor in a drama, he gave the trophy to Cassar as a sign of his appreciation.

24 is back! 24 is back with this 2hour special 'bridge' between series 6 and 7, which sees ex CTU Agent Jack Bauer in a war torn African nation hiding from the crimes he committed whilst saving the United States in the previous seasons of 24.

The past is catching up with Jack after the US discover his location and subpoena him to the US court. However, strife and trouble are never to far away as the country in which Jack is hiding is facing a military coup, and he gets involved in helping the school children of an old friend to safety, played by a pleasant appearance of Robert Carlyle.

Jack must rely on his unique skills once again as things quickly turn bad, and the viewer once again treated to the intense flurry of suspense, corruption and pure action that can only be 24.

I won't go into anymore plot details, as not to spoil the film for anymore else, but be prepared for a fantastic 90min of fun that sets up very nicely indeed to the new 7th season of 24.

Craig