Jack Bauer’s saved the world more times than he’s looked death in the eye. But now 24’s seemingly indestructible counterterrorism agent faces his most daunting challenge.
His new mission is to kick start Kiefer Sutherland’s stalled movie career.
After a promising start in mid-1980s, Sutherland went from hot Young Gun to DVD and cable has-been. His intriguing decision to take on dark, unsympathetic roles in Eye for an Eye, Freeway, A Time to Kill and The Vanishing likely cost him the goodwill generated by such youth-driven ensemble ventures as Flatliners, The Three Musketeers and the Young Gun series. And the failures of The Cowboy Way and Renegades thwarted Sutherland‘s efforts to establish himself as a bankable leading man.
Sutherland‘s back in demand as a result of enduring one bad day after another as Bauer. He’s already capitalized on the buzz surrounding the nail-biting 24–and his Golden Globe win–to land supporting roles in Phone Booth and Taking Lives (his Lost Boys director, Joel Schumacher, even chopped ex-ERer Ron Eldard out of Phone Booth so he could recast a more sinister Sutherland as Colin Farrell’s gabby nemesis).
Now Sutherland’s mounting a full-fledged comeback thanks to two high-profile studio films opening this month. First up is Disney’s computer-animated The Wild (April 14), with Sutherland voicing a lion on the loose in an urban jungle. The Sentinel, a political thriller co-starring Michael Douglas and Eva Longoria, arrives April 21.
Surviving a season of 24 may prove easier to achieve than Sutherland’s presumed goal of carrying his first hit since 1993’s The Three Musketeers.
*Wide release only
Sutherland no doubt hopes kids will go wild for The Wild. Comparisons with Madagascar seem inevitable, considering both feature zoo animals—including a lion and a giraffe—out of their cages and on the loose. But The Wild doesn’t have a cushy summer release date. So The Wild unlikely won’t tear to shreds Madagascar’s Memorial Day opening of $47.2 million or its $193.5 million total.
It’s understandable why Disney’s not releasing The Wild during the summer–there’s simply too much competition, including Pixar’s Cars. But in 2004, Disney dumped Home on the Range in April, and the hand-drawn western merely rustled up $50 million. The same fate could await The Wild, especially as it seems suicidal opening two weeks after Ice Age: The Meltdown.
A question mark also hangs over The Sentinel. Millions watched 24’s Bauer thwart the assassination of a presidential candidate. Will they pay $10 to see Sutherland’s Secret Service agent in The Sentinel attempt to foil an attempt on the life of the Commander-in-Chief?
As Sutherland’s mentor and prime suspect, Douglas should ensure The Sentinel doesn’t completely come across like an extended episode of 24. Douglas’ presence may result in The Sentinel doing about as well as his last thriller, Don’t Say a Word ($55 million).
Regardless if The Wild and The Sentinel fail to meet expectations, Sutherland not likely to find himself back in exile so soon. He’s already boarded River Queen, though this period drama experienced a troubled shoot partly stemming from Samantha Morton’s clashes with director Vincent Ward.
Then there’s the proposed film version of 24. Sutherland’s comeback ultimately may hinge on whether Bauer’s got what it takes to be the next James Bond or Jason Bourne.
The Bottom Line
If The Wild doesn’t roar loud enough at the box office, it won’t be Sutherland’s fault. He’s only heard, but not seen, in what appears to be a Madagascar knockoff. But he doesn’t get a pass if The Sentinel fails to deliver 24-style thrills and chills. And then Sutherland may find himself hoping Jack Bauer will once again rescue him from direct-to-DVD oblivion.
