A Less That Mediocre Thriller

Rating: 5/10 (2 March 2002)

Usually one can count on high production values to make even a bad Kevin Costner movie interesting. Alas, despite having high production values, "The Bodyguard" was a bore. Let me count the ways: slow plot, preposterous story, and bad acting -- particularly by Whitney Houston. In fairness, I should say that the completely unbelievable conduct of Houston's character does serve to make her performance seem even worse than it was. Costner does not a bad faux Steve McQueen as the existential and dour (depressed?) athletic pretty boy, Frank Farmer. But his performance does not save the film. Indeed, I doubt that De Niro could have saved it. Spend two hours and ten minutes elsewhere; not recommended; 5 out of 10.