Second in Command

Second in Command, also known as The Commander in some regions, is a 2006 action-war-political thriller film, directed by Simon Fellows and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It is part of a series of Van Damme‘s direct-to-video movies following the failure of Universal Soldier: The Return.
== Plot ==
Commander Samuel "Sam" Keenan (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a decorated U.S. Navy SEAL, is sent to the Eastern European nation of Moldova to become the new security attaché at the U.S. Embassy.
When he arrives, Keenan learns that Moldova is in the middle of a civil war. At the embassy, Keenan meets with Ambassador George Norland (Colin Stinton), who makes Keenan the deputy ambassador. Recently, the U.S. installed a new government in Moldova, which is led by Moldova's newly elected president Yuri Amirev (Serban Celea). However, Amirev wants the nation to be run as a democractic republic, but under the command of Anton Tavarov (Velibor Topic), Communist insurgents have caused a riot at the presidential palace, threatening the fragile stability of the country. The insurgents are loyal to Alexei Kirilov (Costel Lupea), the former brutal communist dictator of Moldova.
When the palace guards start firing on the insurgents without Amirev's authorization, the insurgents storm the palace, demanding Amirev's head. Keenan volunteers to bring Amirev to the embassy. But events reach critical mass, and the insurgents open fire. Keenan barely makes it back with Amirev, but the fight isn't over yet. Fifty Americans are holed up in the embassy, and Tavarov and his massive army have arrived at the gates, with plans to crash the building and drag Amirev out by any means necessary. To add to Keenan's problems, Norland is killed by a rocket that was launched by one of Tavarov's men.
To defend the embassy, Keenan has only 15 Marines, CIA bureaucrat Frank Gaines (William Tapley), limited ammunition, and his martial arts skills to hold Tavarov's army off until American reinforcements arrive. To make matters worse, Keenan's girlfriend, reporter Michelle Whitman (Julie Cox), is one of the hostages. With Tavarov's crew getting in position for attack, a power struggle takes place between Keenan and Gaines; with help hours away, it will be up to Keenan to rescue the hostages.
When the supposedly loyal General Borgov (a personal CIA "asset" claimed by Gaines) arrives he turns out to side with the insurgents but Keenan rescues the surviving personnel with help from arriving American military reinforcements.
==Cast==
* Jean-Claude Van Damme as Cmdr. Samuel Keenan
* Julie Cox as Michelle Whitman
* Alan McKenna as Capt. John Baldwin
* William Tapley as Frank Gaines
* Razaaq Adoti as Gunnery Sgt. Earl Darnell
* Velibor Topic as Anton Tavarov
* Warren Derosa as Mike Shustec
* Ian Virgo as Cpl. Will Butler
* Raffaello Degruttola as PFC Zanger
* Serban Celea as President Yuri Amirev
* Vlad Ivanov as RSO John Lydon
* Emanuel Parvu as Cpl. Chevanton
* Razvan Oprea as PFC. Devereaux
* Mihai Bisericanu as Marshall Geller
* Elizabeth Barondes as Jennifer Lennard
* Colin Stinton as Ambassador George Norland
* Costel Lupea as President Alexei Kirilov
* Eugen Cristea as General Borgov
==Reception==
The film opened in the 24th place with $1.04 million in the rentals chart. The film currently holds average rating 5/10 stars on Internet Movie Database. Forty percent of Rotten Tomatoes users liked the movie.
==Production==
It is set and filmed in Bucharest, Romania in 50 days on June 7 and July 27, 2005.
==Home media==
DVD was released in Region 1 in the United States on May 2, 2006. It was released in Region 2 in the United Kingdom on 15 May 2006. It was distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
==References==
==External links==
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Category:2006 films
Category:2000s films
Category:Sony Pictures Entertainment
Category:American action thriller films
Category:American political thriller films