The Manchurian Candidate Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
This summer everything is under control.
When his army unit was ambushed during the first Gulf War, Sergeant Raymond Shaw saved his fellow soldiers just as his commanding officer, then-Captain Ben Marco, was knocked unconscious. Brokering the incident for political capital, Shaw eventually becomes a vice-presidential nominee, while Marco is haunted by dreams of what happened — or didn't happen — in Kuwait. As Marco (now a Major) investigates, the story begins to unravel, to the point where he questions if it happened at all. Is it possible the entire unit was kidnapped and brainwashed to believe Shaw is a war hero as part of a plot to seize the White House? Some very powerful people at Manchurian Global corporation appear desperate to stop him from finding out.
| Jeffrey Wright | Al Melvin |
| Pablo Schreiber | Eddie Ingram |
| Anthony Mackie | Robert Baker |
| Dorian Missick | Owens |
| Jose Pablo Cantillo | Villalobos |
| Teddy Dunn | Wilson |
| Joaquin Perez-Campbell | Atkins |
| Tim Artz | Jameson |
| Denzel Washington | Ben Marco |
| Robyn Hitchcock | Laurent Tokar |
| Liev Schreiber | Raymond Shaw |
| Antoine Taylor | Boy Scout #1 |
| Joseph Alessi | Boy Scout #2 |
| Raymond Anthony Thomas | Scout Dad |
| Bill Irwin | Scoutmaster |
| Jonathan Demme |
6.70 out of 10 (20017 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A bit of political drama mixed in with Sci-Fi.
posted on 26 Aug 2009I didn't see the original 1962 movie of this title, so I cannot compare them. Although I have read some comments that this one is the better of the two. However that matters not.What we have here is a political drama which involves the USA Presidential election. Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber) is the young politician, Medal of Honor winner some 13 years earlier in the Gulf War, is a candidate for the Vice Presidential nomination, but the party is leaning towards someone else, which upsets his politician mother (Meryl Streep in a very good performance). Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) was Raymond's commanding officer back in Kuwiat, and still has lucid "dreams" related to the battle which resulted in Shaw's award. Marco suspects that things didn't happen quite like everyone says they did. The movie is a bit long but even the slow moving parts are so interesting that it held our attention. Overall a very good movie.SPOILERS FOLLOW. As we piece everything together the global Manchurian Corporation has political influence all over the world, and some very high tech devices. Some of these have been implanted, Marco has one in his shoulder, which we see him digging out with a knife blade. Shaw has one in his brain. They also were hypnotized such that when hearing their full names, said in a particular sequence, will follow orders. Manchurian is planning to get Shaw into the Vice Presidency so that they can kill the President and have full control of the new President. Shaw's mother is in on the plan. The climax is at the election victory party, Marco the marksman has sneaked a high powered rifle into the building, has been told to kill the president elect. After much suspense, he shoots one shot, killing his former friend Shaw and his mother, the evil politician. Perhaps we are to assume that after he removed his implanted device, he was able to exercise free will, and had a duty to his country to make things right.
Check for implants [contains SPOILERS]
posted on 20 Aug 2009The "bad guys" in this movie were bizarre, odd, and creepy, but totally unrealistic. Who would take them seriously? And can you imagine anyone in his or her right mind voting for this film's presidential and vice presidential candidates? Yet we are somehow to believe that they won the election in a landslide (I thought I heard one of the news announcers say they got 70% of the vote). Were tens of millions of voters also given implants and brainwashed? What's the point? Washington, Streep, and Schreiber and the rest of the impressive cast deserved better. Please save a few bucks and rent the original for a real classic paranoid thriller.
The Manchurian Candidate: 3/10
posted on 20 Aug 2009Yet another inferior remake, very slow, boring and totally predictable . Denzel Washington seems to be on a treadmill of very average movies at the moment. The film has nothing to offer that we haven't seen better performed in a single episode of 24. Most annoying of all is a script only slightly harder to follow than a children's play.And what was with those implants? shame they didn't follow up on them a bit more .This film totally failed to develop the enemy. Some faceless global corporation (yes another one!).The only good performance being Meryl Streep.Now she was scary !Big actors , big budget, big flop.
Yet another paranoid fantasy AND yet another remake..
posted on 16 Aug 2009The 2 things I don't like about this movie are these.1) Movies about big government cover-ups, conspiracy theories and other paranoid fantasies aren't my thing. This story is about some outrageously far-fetched project to overtake the Whitehouse with hypnotised/brainwashed soldiers. The whole premise is just too ridiculous and way out there. This could have easily been a X-Files-episode-gone-bad, had it not been for its 2 hour(!!) playtime.2) IT IS YET ANOTHER REMAKE! If the original is as good as some people say (I haven't seen it) then why was this movie made? The reason remakes are all the rage now, is because the original script has already proved itself, which reduces the risks of creating a flop. Just add a few changes and updates and presto: another box office hit. Another cheap, unoriginal and pointless movie that generates millions in ticket and DVD sales. Think about it, why was "The Italian Job" remade? "Gone in 60 Seconds", "The Bourne Identity", "Shall We Dance", "Alfie", "The Grudge" etc. they're all remakes.Highly NOT recommended.
Human chocolate "chip" cookie leaves bad taste in washed brain
posted on 16 Aug 2009Egads, what a pile of carp this movie is! So, what exactly was the useless chip in the shoulder supposed to do, as opposed to the chip in the head? And are there more chips in other body parts? And why exactly was Ben Marco magically alive at the end as well as bald after he was killed? Really and truly, I do absolutely love dream-like movies, and don't need everything explained to me, but these useless, lazy plot tangents are just plain dumb. I get the feeling that Demme and crew took some puffs on the stupid pipe to make this movie and thought what they were doing was really cool. Seriously, this is the only explanation that makes sense. On the plus side, somebody needs to put Denzel Washington in a decent movie where he can play crazy. He really was amazing. It's just too bad he was in this movie doing it. Also on the plus side, the DVD special features were more interesting and thought provoking than the actual movie, which is sad. I wish I could brainwash ninety-five percent of this movie out of my head.
Reasonably entertaining conspiracy flick
posted on 04 Aug 2009I didn't know this was a remake, so I thought I was going to see one of IMDb's top 250 films. I was disappointed.There's not enough suspenseful buildup - we get a flash back showing what's going on too early which gave me an instant drop out of the suspense of disbelief. Revealing what happened so early both detracts from the detective story ("what can be happening here?") and the thriller ("maybe he's really delusional?").How the story is finally resolved is a complete mystery, and breaks the fundamental rules the plot is build on.That said, there's nothing wrong with the performances, one plot twist was unexpected, and a few scenes are creepy in the right way.
The Cold War Is Over, But Paranoia Never Goes Away.
posted on 23 Jul 2009The U.S. government and big business are both suspect in this riveting redux of the original from 1962. The Persian Gulf War ends with amnesia and whacked dreams plaguing commanding officer Denzel Washington and the other grunts in his unit. Apparently a soldier (Liev Schreiber) from the ranks became the hero as he saved the group of soldiers from an Iraqi ambush. Schreiber becomes a celebrity and then surprisingly gets a nomination from his party to be the running mate for the new presidential election. Washington knows that something is not quite right, while Meryl Streep (deceptively doing some of her very best work) is a very dominant political figure in a world that is normally run by the men. Streep, Schreiber's mother, is one of those quietly deviant villains who has alterior motives galore. Washington soon starts a relationship with stranger Kimberly Elise, but it becomes confusing what her purpose for being with him really is. Wonderfully complex and intelligent film that competes quite well with the original (although it is clearly not as good as Frankenheimer's version). The three leads are outstanding and cameo performers Jon Voight, Dean Stockwell, Ted Levine, Miguel Ferrer and even Al Franken are perfectly placed knights on the figurative chess board. Director Jonathan Demme gets back to work comparable with earlier triumphs "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia" that made him arguably the finest film-maker in Hollywood over a decade ago. Thought-provoking, darkly smart and very well produced, "The Manchurian Candidate" in 2004 shines as well as its predecessor. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Meryl, you're no Angela Lansbury
posted on 19 Jul 2009While the 2004 remake of "The Manchurian Candidate" is ensemble acting at its finest, Meryl Streep seems to be having a bit too much fun playing the villainess Eleanor Prentiss Shaw. She doesn't have the same blood-curdling constitution as did Angela Lansbury."What was I supposed to do, call a MEETING?" she exclaims as her wimpy male colleagues in the shadowy Manchurian Global upbraid her for ordering someone killed without consulting them. Problem is, she was radiantly glowing when she uttered the line, which produced laughs in the NYC theatre I was in.When she showers Liev Schreiber with overly affectionate kisses and hugs, one again suspects Meryl was having a bit too much fun on camera with someone she finds quite attractive -- don't we all? -- in real life.On its own, the 2004 remake is fine cinema. But the problem with all remakes is the inevitable comparison with original. And sadly, as much as I like the 2004 version, my vote goes with Angie Lansbury and Laurence Harvey.
Lacks everything that made the first good...
posted on 11 Jul 2009'The Manchurian Candidate' is a remake of the 1962 political thriller with Frank Sinatra and Angela Lansbury. This one stars Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber, has some minor and some major differences, but is still about a group of marines captured in battle (this time Guelph) and supposedly brainwashed.Everyone thinks that Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber) fought off the enemy and saved the troops, leading them after three days to safety, but Bennet Marco (Denzel Washington) suspects brainwashing because he has strange nightmares about something different that happened those three days, nightmares that some of the other troops are having. The dreams involve Shaw taking orders from some strange villains and killing the two troops that supposedly died in the battle. But Shaw is now a vice presidential candidate, and Marco has quite a challenge trying to convince anyone of this.Thrown in are Senator Eleanor Shaw (Meryl Streep), Raymond's mother, who obviously is more than she seems, Senator Thomas Jordan (Jon Voight) a pretty good man whose been bumped out of the vice presidential race by Shaw and Rosie (Kimberly Elise), a nice young woman who Marco meets on a train. As Marco investigates further he becomes more and more shaky and paranoid, as conspiracy theorists always do in movies.The movie is basically the same as the original, up until the last twenty minutes or so, which is still basically the climax of the original film with some of the characters reversed. I knew most of what was gonna happen, which I guess took away from it for me, so I may have been more excited and involved if I hadn't seen the '62 version, instead of just waiting for it to end. Of course, between the two movies, I'm still glad I took the first.The '62 version was a masterpiece; it was one of the most exciting, fun, dramatic thrillers I've ever seen; one of the best. It had flair, energy, humor, and was elevated by the powerhouse performances of Sinatra, Lansbury and Lawrence Harvey. It was intriguing, we leaned forward at every twist, but it also had style. The original film had one of the first martial arts fight scenes seen in history (and one of the best). In the original, Shaw would snap into a trance whenever someone said 'How 'bout you past the time by playing a little solitaire', and he'd follow orders whenever he saw a red queen.Both these elements are absent from this version, there's no time for solitaire and style when you have to shock the audience. That's more what this version is trying, for instance, the Al Melvin character in this film is insane, he draws disturbing drawings and shakes and stutters, whereas the Melvin character in the first was just a regular guy. There are so many scenes in this film trying to shock you or creep you out: a man gets drilled in the head, a man is shot in the head, Marco has some strange visions, he cuts a chip out of his shoulder, lots of blood and heavy breathing.The first film was shocking too, but in a more subtler, quieter way. There were some really frightening and creepy scenes, but it didn't take itself too seriously, in a way it was satire. This version takes itself way to serious, it's not fun, and it's arduous.The writing is pretty poor too. The first film was shorter than this one, but still had enough time to establish its characters and deal with the conspiracy. The characters here, with the exception of maybe Streep's, are all one-dimensional and just work as tools for the plot. It tries to create characters, but it fails. We cared deeply for Harvey because we knew him, but we hardly get to know Schreiber, so we kind of welcome his dilemma because we want to see the plot progress (and the movie to end).Washington, Schreiber and Voight are all magnificent actors, and their performances aren't bad, but they don't have enough material for us to care about them. Streep's character is written the best, and her performance is well executed. There's a scene where she is in a room with a bunch of campaign workers, ordering them around as they all stare in wonder, and we wonder if its is Streep or Shaw that they are admiring (or both?). Because of Streep's endless qualities as an actress she is completely believable as a domineering, powerful, confident politician (and mother).And there were some other parts I liked, the cinematography was pretty good, Streep was fantastic, the climax was exciting, and Washington's character has some good moments (like when he punches a federal agent whose taunting him). But it still lacks everything that made the original exciting. The original was fun to watch, this film is more of a task.But, if you haven't seen the original you may enjoy it, 6.5/10.
Oh my God, this was bad.
posted on 09 Jul 2009***Spoilers ahead***I must say I was quite disappointed with this movie. It's a shame to see such great actors in something like this.The main problem is the way the whole story is laid out. It would have been much better if the movie was about Denzel Washington gradually figuring out he was brainwashed. Instead, the brainwashing flashbacks are revealed right away, and the movie is about Denzel Washington trying to convince people he has been brainwashed. This is rather stupid, and, in my opinion, a lot less thrilling.I guess I kind of assumed the brainwashing scenes would be quick and subtle, and the movie would be about the reasons behind it. But no, the brainwashing IS the movie. We get to see a full-fledged secret laboratory out in the desert, with tubes and wires everywhere, and chanting ladies dressed in black cult robes (what the hell?). Lots of blood and gore, too. It's not thrilling, just gross.And about this secret laboratory--it's under the control of a CORPORATION!!? And no military or intelligence agency knows it's there??It would make a lot more sense for this lab to be run by terrorists or something, but I suppose this wouldn't be politically correct, so instead we have to believe the villain is Acme, Inc. Whatever.Liev Schreiber gets stuck with some of the most ridiculous scenes in the movie. First he gets an "Invaders From Mars" type of operation in his hotel room, and then, as if that's not embarrassing enough, he gets to stand there naked with a goofy grin while his mother caresses him. This was actually more difficult to watch than the torture scenes, in my opinion.All in all, we get a movie that is alternately gross, weird, corny, and unbelievable. The cast tried hard, but they couldn't save it. 5/10.
Tiny Electrodes Control the Mind of a Candidate for Vice-President of the United States
posted on 09 Jul 2009US Forces on a routine patrol during the First Gulf War in Kuwait encounter a vicious firefight in which two US soldiers are killed, but the rest are led across the desert to safety.The leader of the group that reached safety has won the Congressional Medal of Honor and is now a candidate for Vice President of the United States.Another soldier who survived that same firefight is having dreams, terrible dreams, and in his dreams that did not happen at all and something entirely different happened.He is dismissed as psychotic and a victim of the Gulf War Syndrome.Yet, Denzel Washington, another survivor, realizes that he too has been having the same terrible dreams.When Washington discovers a tiny electrode that has been placed under his skin, he realizes that perhaps the dreams are what really happened and what he thought had happened are just dreams induced by these electrodes. According to his dreams, what really happened is they were all captured by the enemy, who put these electrodes into their bodies and now has the power to control them.When he realizes that the candidate for Vice-President of the United States also must have the same electrodes planted throughout his body and even in his brain, the plot becomes evident. The Candidate has become a robot controlled by Manchurian Global to take over the Government of the United States and then the world. When Denzel tries to tell the authorities about this, they decide that he too is a victim of the Gulf War Syndrome.The candidate's manipulative and controlling mother, who is in on the plot, is brilliantly played by Meryl Streep. I remember Meryl Streep as a young ingénue. I never realized what a great actress she was until I saw this movie.This is essentially a remake of a 1962 movie by the same name. In the original, they were all captured during the Korean War and sent across the border to Manchuria in China for brainwashing, hence the name.I am sure that this movie did not help the candidacy of John Kerry when he ran for President. It will certainly be devastating to the candidacy of John McCain should he ever get the nomination, since McCain really was captured by the enemy. The Democrats will play this movie over and over again.Sam Sloan
A DULL CANDIDATE WITH A CONFUSED AGENDA
posted on 27 Jun 2009The best way to judge this film is if you have not seen the original classic. See this first then the John Frankenheimer version and come to your own conclusion. I saw the original and Mr. Demme does not come close.
A contemporary setting with fine lead actors. And nothing else. The storyline is confusing, the photography distracting with a multitude of continual closeups, and a supporting cast that in reality seems mis-cast. The elimination or re-structuring of key scenes was totally amateurish and unoriginal. A classic beautifully choreographed and edited murder scene becomes some vague underwater drowning. The brilliant brainwashing sequences replaced by a room of mad scientists drilling into sculls. Who can forget the great James Gregory and his ultimate resolution of Communist infiltration with a bottle of ketchup. This character almost totally shunned.
I expected a lot more than Mr. Demme delivered.
How about a re-make of "Silence of the Lambs" with Halle Berry and Vin Diesel.
It's a long way from Manchuria.
posted on 25 Jun 2009Korea, where the the 1962 film's soldiers were captured is near Manchuria. Kuwait isn't. The only reason for this title is to gain viewers who otherwise wouldn't bother, just as they did with The Fugitive. If people can only make their films interesting by riding on the coat-tails of others, they really shouldn't bother. That's all I wanted to say but they demand ten lines, so I'll say it again. Korea, where the the 1962 film's soldiers were captured is near Manchuria. Kuwait isn't. The only reason for this title is to gain viewers who otherwise wouldn't bother, just as they did with The Fugitive. If people can only make their films interesting by riding on the coat-tails of others, they really shouldn't bother.
Even Creepier Than the Original
posted on 15 Jun 2009The original version of this film was a very disturbing film due to the fact that it was at the height of the cold war and that it was during the time when America and the world faced its greatest crisis in the Cuban Missile Crisis and due to the fact that one short year after the original was released, President Kennedy was assassinated. The main difference between this film and the original was that the original villains were the Communists and the villains in this film is big business. The Manchurian Corporation pretty much could be seen as stand-ins for not only Halleburton, but also could be seen as a stand in for many other corporate entities that pretty much want to wield influence in our government.Another way this film works is as a strong psychological thriller. You pretty much have the troops brainwashed much as they were in the original, only it is more technologically based. However, the thing that really made this film as creepy as it was, was the relationship between Raymond and his mother. In the original, Raymond's mother was nothing more than a manipulative harpy who would stop at nothing to make sure she and her husband became the next president. However, in this version the film goes even farther by even implying that Mrs. Shaw (Mrs. Iselin in the original) almost has an incestuous obsession with her son. This is what really distinguishes this film from the original.This definitely is one of top thrillers of the year.
Enjoyable if you can come to terms with how phony it is.
posted on 07 Jun 2009A fairly watchable movie. The story is pretty tense, as it is common for the "I lost my memories" stories, besides, the idea of soldiers having strange memories and contradicting dreams about the wartime is a gold mine, and it fits just about right in the current political situation. So what do we do? We dig the gold. Right? Nevertheless, after about 15 minutes you can figure out what's happening, and 5 minutes after that you hear it all said in plain English, so there's no much intrigue about it. But between director, cameraman and editor, with some help from the actors, they managed to keep the movie watchable till its end.The acting is very good, Denzel Washington is amazing depicting a paranoidal soldier, but Meryl Streep's character is so much one-sided that I see nothing to talk about there: good performance, but it would fit better in a comic book adaptation. It's a shame they didn't use Meryl's dramatic talent more, they could have. I think it's about the script and directing.One thing I'd like to mention: there's a strange theatrical feeling about this movie, kind of similar to Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange". Something grotesque and out of place. Like the director was consciously but subtly trying to convert this somewhat serious script into a farce.Probably it's because this is a remake of something pretty much old, and here and there you can see the old dusty skeleton under the new flashy clothing. Bizarre. The "secret laboratory" scenes looked like a stylistic tribute to the 60ies' James Bond movies, or probably to the original "...Candidate".All in all, the movie is pretty solid for a remake, though the farce notes make it look not as serious as it could have been. And it is enjoyable if you can come to terms with how phony it is. I give it a 6 out of 10.
The Manchurian Candidate
posted on 07 Jun 2009From director Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs), this remake of the Frank Sinatra classic is pretty good, they have only changed the time period. Basically, during the Gulf war and an ambush, Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Scream's Liev Schreiber) saved his fellow soldiers, just like commanding officer, Bennett "Ben" Marco (Denzel Washington), who was then knocked unconscious. Telling this story to the press, Shaw is awarded the Medal of Honor, and eventually, with insistence from his demanding mother Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Meryl Streep) is made vice-presidential nominee. Marco meanwhile is being haunted by dreams of what probably happened when he was unconscious in Kuwait. As (now Major) Marco investigates, he searches for the truth, he gets to the point where he wonders if it happened at all. He thinks that the entire unit was kidnapped and brainwashed with special microchips of some kind to believe Shaw did all those things he claims as a war hero, as part of a plot to seize the White House. The people behind it, in the Manchurian Global corporation, including Atticus Noyle (Simon McBurney) appear desperate to stop him finding out and ruining their plan. Also starring Jon Voight as Senator Thomas Jordan, Kimberly Elise as Rosie, Casino Royale's Jeffrey Wright as Al Melvin, Ted Levine as Colonel Howard, Downfall's Bruno Ganz as Richard Delp, Miguel Ferrer as Colonel Garret, Dean Stockwell as Mark Whiting, Vera Farmiga as Jocelyne Jordan, Zeljko Ivanek as Vaughn Utly, Roger Corman as Mr. Secretary, Charles Napier as General Sloan and Bill Irwin as Scoutmaster. There are some great moments of confrontation (especially using point of view shots), and Streep is a perfect bitch woman you probably wouldn't think was part of the scheme. Meryl Streep was number 58, and Denzel Washington number 28 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, and Washington was number 40, and Streep number 26 on The World's Greatest Actor. Very good!
One of the best of all remakes
posted on 26 May 2009At least Jonathan Demme had the wherewithal not to make a straightforward remake, changing major details in the plot and updating the action to the Gulf War and the present. In fact, had the Frankenhimer movie not existed I might have rated this very highly indeed and in some respects it outstrips the original, (it's much better on the paranoia theme). Now, of course, it's all about oil and not communism and builds on the kind of conspiracy theories that Michael Moore has been pushing for a while; (alright, the details are sufficiently far-fetched but the ideas are genuinely scary).It's also brilliantly made. It's got a cracker of a script by Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris that builds on Axelrod's adaptation of Richard Condon's novel and both Denzel Washington and Liev Schreiber are excellent. Meryl, (in the Angela Lansbury role as Raymond's mother), is, of course, superb but she goes so far out of her way to reinterpret the role she never seems to nail the character in the way Lansbury did. You can believe in Streep as a hard-nosed politico whereas Lansbury was a loony tune but she was a loony tune you believed in and that made her really, really scary. Nevertheless, this still might be one of the best remakes ever made.
VERY WELL DONE, AND THE ACTING IS EXCELLENT
posted on 10 May 2009Being old enough to remember the original version of The Manchurian Candidate, I found that is was on a par with the original, as far as the acting was concerned. Liev was very good in the part, as well as Meryl Streep, and I like Denzel in most any film he is in. I did find that I liked the original screen play better, as this one seemed to inject the latest in mind rendering features. My recommendation is to go see this one for a very good story. and some great acting. I think that this will be this weeks blockbuster!!!!!
War politics spoiled with unbelievable science fiction
posted on 10 May 2009The film was an absolute failure. I haven't seen the original one, but I hope it's better than this film. The reason why I didn't like the film is that the plot was entirely unbelievable. The plot tries to tie a connection to a phenomenon known as the Gulf War Syndrome. A bunch of soldiers are brainwashed into believing that one of the soldiers saves the lives of the others on a mission during the Gulf War. Implants have been placed into the brains of the soldiers who were on that mission and they can be manipulated into e.g. killing people. Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber) is made a war hero.The film could have been believable, but the way in which the soldiers were supposed to be brainwashed is science fiction at its worst. The director could have used more subtle moves. He could have portrayed that Raymond Shaw was made to be a war hero in the same way that in the real life Jessica Lynch, a victim, was made a war hero. It could have also been said the soldiers were forced into playing along with the war hero thing. Frankly, I don't know why the critics say that the film is good.
Senator Streep
posted on 28 Aug 2009The one and only reason to see this new and much weaker Manchurian Candidate is Meryl Streep. The little space allocated to her character makes the film rise to undeserving levels. True, I would pay to see Meryl Streep do the weather but that's quite besides the point. Even so, the memory of Angela Lansbury's performance in the role towers over Meryl Streep's, mostly because the original Frankenheimer's Manchurian Candidte towers over Demme's. What a silly idea, really. To update the story doesn't contribute a thing to the results. No matter how many monitor screens and details about the experiment we're let into. We, quite simply, don't care. We care about the drama of that mother and son. Of the soldier's and their nightmares. But those elements are treated in a sketchy, sluggish way. Frank Sinatra gave a sterling performance in the original and we believed in his torment. Here Denzel Washington floats throughout the film without giving us the chance to connect the dots of his journey. Liev Schriver is a credible Raymond Shaw but the script doesn't help him to go where Laurence Harvey had ventured. After "The Truth About Charlie" I was fearful of what Jonathan Demme (the great man behind "Silence of the Lambs") would do with this classic black comedy but I went to see it anyway, because Meryl Streep was in it and because it was Demme again working with Dean Stockwell after that lovely romp they did together "Married to the Mob" but Stockell's work in Manchurian Candidate, how can I put it? If you blink you miss it. How strange. How disappointing. However, the scenes with Senator Meryl Streep are worth the price of admission.