Tagline: She’s missing.
Spartan movie storyline. Robert Scott is a career military officer working in a secretive special operations force. A man hardened by years of brutal service, he is respected by his peers and elders in the world of espionage. When Scott is recruited to find Laura Newton, the daughter of a high-ranking government official, he is paired with novice Curtis, who becomes his prot?
Working with a special task force comprised of Presidential Advisors, the Secret Service, FBI and CIA, Scott and Derek stumble upon a white slavery ring, which may have some connection to Laura’s disappearance. As the story unfolds, the straightforward search-and-rescue mission becomes complicated by the political ambitions of those in high places – like Stoddard (Macy), a political operative who may know more than he’s telling about the clandestine circumstances surrounding Laura’s abduction.
Scott and Curtis are at the brink of tracking Laura’s whereabouts when the mission comes to an abrupt conclusion, with the media issuing reports of the girl’s death. Scott returns to the quiet life of landowner in a rural location and awaits his next assignment in relative peace. But Curtis can’t rest. In his naive he seeks out Scott to confide his belief that Laura is in fact alive. If she is, their continued unofficial investigation will put them as well as Laura at the center of conspiracy that reaches the highest levels.
Spartan is a 2004 American political thriller film written and directed by David Mamet. It features Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, Tia Texada, Ed O’Neill, William H. Macy, and Kristen Bell. It was released in the United States and Canada on 12 March 2004.
The Dubai locales were actually filmed in Los Angeles. Eric L. Haney, a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major who operated in Delta Force, was the technical advisor, and briefly appears. After Spartan, he and Mamet created The Unit television series about an Army unit mirroring Delta Force.
Alexandra Kerry, daughter of then U.S. Senator (now secretary of state) John Kerry, is a bartender in the film. David Mamet’s Rabbi, Mordechai Finley, appears as one of the training cadre. The Scott character says the line, “One riot, one Ranger”. Previously, Mamet used that dialogue in House of Games; and it has subsequently been used in The Unit. The remark is said to be Texas Rangers lore. The automatic knife used in the film is “The Spartan” by Severtech and was designed for this film.
Spartan (2004)
Directed by: David Mamet
Starring: Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H. Macy, Johnny Messner, Tia Texada, Kristen Bell, Jeremie Campbell, Johnny Messner, Chris LaCentra, Renato Magno, Mark FitzGerald
Screenplay by: David Mamet
Production Design by: Gemma Jackson
Cinematography by: Juan Ruiz Anchía
Film Editing by: Barbara Tulliver
Costume Design by: Shay Cunliffe
Set Decoration by: Susan Emshwiller
Art Direction by: Christopher Tandon
MPAA Rating: R for violence and language.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: March 12, 2004
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