Movie Review: THE GUARDIAN
Once you get by the image of Ashton Kutcher as hero and protagonist in this newly released film, the balance of the movie “The Guardian” is entertaining and easy to digest. Following predictable plot lines, this rare insight into the nation’s multi-missioned, fifth uniformed service branch gives viewers an action-filled drama which delivers just about everything you could ask for in this type of film, and a little more. If you are not looking to think too hard, this is a good one to see.
Borrowing themes from other well-known, previous movies of this genre, “The Guardian” resembles “An Officer and a Gentleman” in more ways than one, right down to the disciplinary scene where the instructor hoses downs his wayward candidate. Not one, but two cheesy bar fights complete the picture. But, I’m not going to ruin the movie for you. Be warned that it lasted more than two hours (2:16), or about thirty minutes longer than necessary, so if you are contemplating (as I did) taking in the 9:40 PM flick, then count on getting home well after midnight.
The movie revolves around just one of a thousand Coast Guard missions which get accomplished on a given day. Arguably, being a rescue swimmer is one of the less glamorous roles that a Coast Guard member can take up, but certainly, it provides instant gratification for the rescued and rescuer alike. The film provided an excellent look into just how dangerous that job of being an elite rescue swimmer can be. But, as viewers find out, the watery action is only one part of the real job.
In more than one part of the movie, rescue operations are seen from the command operation center, where officers and other coast guard personnel direct and monitor the operation, often looking at real time screens and other high-tech gadgetry. It all looks and sounds good, but I found myself wondering if these types of cutting-edge “command” centers actually exist, especially in remote Alaskan outposts. I distinctly remember touring the VTS center in the port of Houston in the late 1980’s and being appalled that marine vessels were being tracked using little cards being inserted into slots on wooden blocks within a crude mockup of the Houston Ship Channel.
The movie also illuminates other aspects of Coast Guard life and operations which are clearly less thrilling. Among them, at least in this movie, was the (otherwise) apparent lack of new and high-tech field equipment for the busiest of departments within the DHS. Little in the way of the new and highly touted Deepwater equipment was anywhere to be seen in the movie. We asked one thirty-year Coast Guard veteran (retired within the last five years) if the command center depictions which resembled CIC on an aircraft carrier were accurate and he responded, “Possible, but not likely, especially in remote locations like Kodiak.” A Coast Guard PAO in Washington told MarEx, “The Coast Guard is proud of the portrayal of our service in the movie, but clearly, literary license was taken in shooting the command center scenes.” He also characterized the command center equipment in the movie as “Futuristic.”
A lot has transpired since 9/11, and one distinct change in federal policy has been to ramp up funding for the Coast Guard and its many missions. No doubt VTS control at the major ports is much more high tech and the advent of AIS and the need for port security has had a lot to do with that. As the Coast Guard continues to try and replace aging assets with equipment which can interface with all aspects of their operations, future funding from Congress will be critical. “The Guardian” will probably be a great recruiting tool for the Coast Guard. We can only hope that it will do the same for reinforcing the need for Congress and the President to adequately fund the mission.