The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
In the remake of the 1964 thriller, Denzel Washington takes on Frank Sinatra’s role as a war veteran drawn into a political web of destruction. The setting is moved to the current time, so instead of being a Korean war veteran, Denzel fought in the Gulf War. His fellow soldier, Liev Schreiber, comes from a political background and is seen as a front-runner for the upcoming election, thanks to his pushy and powerful mother Meryl Streep. While in the original, Angela Lansbury controlled her son, Laurence Harvey, to help her husband’s political career, the remake gets another modern touch: Meryl herself is a senator, rather than a housewife.
Meryl’s performance in this movie is so chilling, it’ll throw you for a greater loop than the story to find out she wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award. Taking obvious inspiration from a certain powerful, ruthless female politician of the 1990s, Meryl embodies the bloodsucking, calculating, viscous character in her most realistic performance since The Bridges of Madison County.
The wonderful thing about this story is it’s obviously timeless. It was just as relevant and engrossing in 1964 as it was in 2004, and if another remake would be made in 2024, it would be just as well-received. Political power struggle is an unending game, and if you combine a mystery in the movie plot and cast a bundle of powerhouse actors, you’ve got a guaranteed box office smash. If you’ve never seen either version, look at the cast list and decide which one you want to start with. They’re both very good, suspenseful, and well-acted, but you can only watch it for the first time once. Choose wisely—or Meryl Streep will yell at you.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During Denzel Washington’s dreams, there are some zooms, swirls, and handheld camera movements that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1964's The Manchurian Candidate here!
More Meryl Streep movies here!
Meryl’s performance in this movie is so chilling, it’ll throw you for a greater loop than the story to find out she wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award. Taking obvious inspiration from a certain powerful, ruthless female politician of the 1990s, Meryl embodies the bloodsucking, calculating, viscous character in her most realistic performance since The Bridges of Madison County.
The wonderful thing about this story is it’s obviously timeless. It was just as relevant and engrossing in 1964 as it was in 2004, and if another remake would be made in 2024, it would be just as well-received. Political power struggle is an unending game, and if you combine a mystery in the movie plot and cast a bundle of powerhouse actors, you’ve got a guaranteed box office smash. If you’ve never seen either version, look at the cast list and decide which one you want to start with. They’re both very good, suspenseful, and well-acted, but you can only watch it for the first time once. Choose wisely—or Meryl Streep will yell at you.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During Denzel Washington’s dreams, there are some zooms, swirls, and handheld camera movements that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1964's The Manchurian Candidate here!
More Meryl Streep movies here!