The Sentinel deals in political intrigue, rumor and assassination plots, so it makes sense that the movie has the demeanor of a conspiracy theorist. Fidgety and jittery, it’s as calm and collected as a puppy trotting down the aisles of PetSmart. As a narrative, the picture is so clunky it’s hard to determine which star is the hero: Michael Douglas, as a career Secret Service agent who uncovers a plot to assassinate the president, or Kiefer Sutherland, as another agent who suspects Douglas of being involved. They spend most of the film shouting at each other, despite the fact that – thanks to the barrel-chested authority and basso profundo voice shared by the actors – they seem to be shouting into a mirror.
