The Guardian (Movie Review)

Takes More than Talent

“The Guardian” is a movie that came out two years ago in September. It’s a PG-13 action/adventure drama starring Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Costner, Neal McDonough, Melissa Stagemiller, and Clancy Brown. The two hour and nineteen minute story is about a cocky swimmer who enrolls into “A” school for the United States Guard and his struggles during first year training.

The legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) survives a horrific accident which takes the lives of his fellow crew members. His commanding officer demands that he take a break from rescue swimming and teach new recruits. Randall, unhappy about the assignment, becomes frustrated when he runs into Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), a cocky swimming champ recruit driven by a painful secret. Although Randall knows that Jake has what it takes to be the best of the best, he suspects that Jake is only interested in setting records and not saving lives. Despite their disagreements they come to realize how similar their lives are and in the end one must make a difficult decision in order to save the other.

Ashton Kutcher’s portrayal of this cocky swimming champ in “The Guardian”, the director (Andrew Davis) does an excellent job showing that it takes more than talent to become a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The Coast Guard is an important arm of the American military that receives little respect from movie. It’s typically the Army, Navy, and Marines getting credit for their courage and bravery. As Kevin Costner’s character said in the movie “We’re the Coast Guard. Nobody appreciates us until they need us.” “The Guardian” however is written as a tribute for the United States Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard has a motto which is, “So others may live.” They are willing risk their lives to save others which is why their training is so important, and Andrew Davis does a phenomenal job illustrating the mental and the physical aspects of what it takes to be a rescue swimmer. One scene shows the recruits participating in an oxygen-deprivation anaerobic exercise, where they partner up and have to push a forty pound brick underwater back and forth across the pool. If they need air they may surface but one person must remain with the brick at all times. This is only one example of the many physical exercises that recruits endure in “The Guardian”. Andrew Davis also reveals the mental aspect of being a rescue swimmer. As a result of recently losing his crewmates Ben Randall shows some of the mental stress with many flashbacks of his job related trauma. One scene shows a flashback where a large crate caught in a rogue wave hit the tail rotor of the helicopter sending him and his crew into to sea. When he awakes from his dream he swallows a variety of pills to help reduce his stress.

While this is certainly not a typical role for Ashton Kutcher, he appears to have risen to the challenge. You’ll see Kutcher full of anger and tears when he reveals his painful secret that keeps him from functioning as a good teammate. For those Kutcher fans expecting some comedy, fear not because Kutcher certainly added some of his own humor to keep the audience entertained, while at the same time sitting on the edge of their seats. I do however question the directors intentions when he decided to have Jake Fischer act as a cocky recruit rather than an unsure and nervous recruit. I recognize that the director may be trying to show how difficult it is even for a skilled swimmer. However, I think that the audience could better relate to a less confident recruit than an overconfident recruit. I have to ask, wouldn’t it be more appropriate and inspiring to watch a typical recruit reach his goal becoming rescue swimmer when he thought he couldn’t do it? One criticism of the movie is its predictability. The foreshadowing in the movie reveals too much information that gives away Jake Fischer’s deep secret about his past, but also the ending of the movie. In addition the ending can be related to the movie “Vertical Limit,” where the climber Montgomery Wick (Scott Glenn) must choose to give up his life in order to save another.

Even with its minor faults, “The Guardian” provides an overall picture of what the Coast Guard is all about. The audience leaves with a clear idea of what these brave men and women go through in order to protect us from treacherous waters and the dangers they present. It shows the struggles they face when they can’t save everyone, and the intensity of rescues leaves you breathless and gasping for air. “The Guardian” covers many other important hardships that they face, such as relationships with family, friends, and love ones. There is something enormously refreshing about these young Americans who risk their lives to save others. Watching Ben Randall and Jake Fischer change their feelings about each other reminds the audience what true friendship is all about. Andrew Davis delivers a classic family movie and some genuine thrills leaving you in awe. As you may have predicted, the ending may leave you wishing for an alternate outcome.

For those college boys wondering if they should watch “The Guardian” with their girlfriend, beware of the ending because you might have put your arm around her to comfort her. Otherwise it might send her home in tears. Or if you’re simply a student sick of studying, or a teacher tired of correcting papers, you will enjoy the humor and the intense ride that “The Guardian” has to offer.