Posted 7:46 PM by Blah blah

Best Thriller in History: 24, with Kiefer Sutherland

I've been going gaga over the Fox TV show 24 recently. I bought and watched the entire first season here at Amazon.com for a very affordable price. And I was riveted!!! Basically, it's better than James Bond, better than Mission Impossible, and more real than Alias. The writing and acting are superb, the characters are three-dimensional, and I was gripping my sofa the whole time and could barely come up for air! More info on the cast and crew.

Here's a revealing interview with Kiefer Sutherland, the main actor.

This show is unique in TV history. Each hour of the show equals an hour in the actual time of the hero's life, so that by the end of the season, you've watched just one full day in the hero's life. It's essentially a 24-hour-long thriller movie!

Read the tons of five star reviews here at Amazon.com for a flavor of the show. For example:
_________________
As most people who watch television know, every show out there has a dud episode that simply exists as filler. But with 24, the case is different. Yes, there is a silly subplot introduced late in the season that's obviously there just to take up some time (let's just say it involves amnesia), but even at its weakest, 24 is still capable of providing more of an adrenaline rush than three summer blockbuster actioners combined. Yes, that's how thrilling this series is, and when you factor in the great characters, complex script, and Stephen Hopkins' surprisingly adept eye at mixing high-octane thrills and touching drama, then you've got yourself an innovative, masterful thriller that follows through on its real-time concept with verve and supreme confidence.

For those unfamiliar with 24, the plot revolves around CTU agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). He's having a little trouble at home around midnight, when he finds that his estranged daughter, Kim (Elisha Cuthbert), has run off for the night. Before he and his wife, Teri (Leslie Hope), can serach for her, he's urgently called to work; it's believed that within the next 24 hours there will be an assassination attempt on Senator David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), a black presidential candidate who stands a good chance of becoming the next leader of the free world.

Plot-wise, that's all you need to know. The joy of the series comes from the unexpected plot twists and the crescendo in suspense as you wonder how Bauer is going to get himself out of this mess he's in. Yeah, there are some minor plot contrivances here and there, but they're hard to notice, and it's only after some extreme nitpicking you're going to notice a few flaws. The central storyline holds together amazingly well and never bogs down in confusion. The script also adds a lot of little nuances in the plot that'll put a smile on your face (watch what Sutherland does in episode 4 when he's desperate to interview a prisoner).

In concept, 24 probably sounds easy and gimmicky, but in reality, the show must have been ridiculously hard to pull off. Little details such as traffic light can no longer be ignored. Action must immediately pick up from where it last left off and the filmmakers have to juggle several subplots together without forgetting the constraints in time. And somehow, they pull it off. Not for a moment does the series ever lose momentum or drag in pacing. Not for a second did I ever find myself less than completely engrossed by the converging subplots. And I most certainly never contemplated pressing the fast forward button (I watched 24 on DVD).

24 delivers its share of action sequences. There are shootouts, chases, and cat-and-mouse games, which might sound requisite and perfunctory, but all the action here is tightly choreographed and work in service of the story. Thus, the tension is ratcheted up a few notches during some of the gunfights and chases. The final episode is probably the series' most thrilling segment; capping off with a two-fisted gun battle that actually resonates on a dramatic level and then a shootout between two passing cars, a "money shot" scene if I ever saw one.

An aspect of assassination plots that's always bugged me is that the guy whose life is in danger is usually nothing more than a macguffin to drive the plot forward. 24, thankfully, doesn't fall into this trap. As played superbly by Dennis Haysbert, Palmer is a fully developed flesh-and-blood individual who's ultimately compelling and likeable. The turmoil developing in his campaign an inriguing dimension to his character that a lesser film or series would have ignored.

Good as Haysbert is, it's Kiefer Sutherland who steals the show. After years of second-rate roles and glorified supporting performances, Sutherland finally gets back on track, showing why he's one of the most underrated actors around. Simply put, he delivers the best performance of his career, creating the perfect balance between tough action hero and everday family man. Leslie Hope is equally as good as his wife, Teri, carrying a Lion's share of the series' emotional baggage and pulling it off without a hitch. It's a pity she didn't get a nomination or two for her terrific work. The rest of the cast is quite good, though Elisha Cuthbert has gotten some criticism here and there. It's not a bad performance, but admittedly, she's least convincing when she shouts.

24 ends on a surprisingly powerful note, a dramatic punch of a final scene that transcends this series from great entertainment to the realm of cinematic masterpiece (okay, no complaining, I realize this is still TV). Just ask yourself if any of the other networks would have had the guts to end it the way they did. Kudos to the series creators and Fox for delivering such a memorable conclusion. The main story arcs are resolved, but everyone has a price to pay. 24 is, without a doubt, the best show on television today and I absolutely cannot wait for season two.