The Guardian (2006)
A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's 'A' School, where legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.
- Andrew Davis
- Vincent Lascoumes
- Tommy Martin
- Ronald Hersey
- Christophe Le Chanu
- Dru Anne Carlson
- Ron L. Brinkerhoff
Rating: 7.1/10 by 1544 users
Alternative Title:
Coast Guards - US
Guardianes de altamar - AR
海防守护人 - CN
海防最前线 - CN
Spasilac - HR
守護神 - JP
Čuvar - RS
Záchranári - SK
Varuh - SI
Thiên Sứ Biển Xanh - VN
The Guardian - US
가디언 - KR
Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 02 hour 19 minutes
Budget: $10,000,000
Revenue: $94,973,540
Plot Keyword: rescue, ocean, coast guard, disaster, death
The Guardian starts off strong with an engaging introduction that pulls you into the world of elite rescue swimmers. The setup is solid, and the first act does a great job establishing the stakes. But once the second act kicks in, the momentum slows down as the focus shifts almost entirely to training sequences. While these moments have some depth and character development, they drag on too long, making the story feel repetitive. The plot itself follows a familiar formula, and while it has emotional weight, it doesn’t bring much originality. It feels like it’s trying to be Top Gun for the Coast Guard but without the same energy or unpredictability. That said, the movie is well-executed on a technical level. The cinematography captures the intensity of ocean rescues with some visually striking sequences. The direction is solid, and the pacing is decent. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher both deliver strong performances, with Costner bringing a grounded, believable presence to his role. The script is good overall, even if some parts feel a bit too by-the-numbers. The score and sound design do their job well, adding tension and emotion where needed. It’s a well-made movie, but the plot didn’t fully deliver for me.
