The Guardian

Andrew Davis' The Guardian takes the old story about a hardened mentor training raw recruits in a dangerous profession (á la An Officer and a Gentleman) and transplants it to a Coast Guard post where rescue swimmers are trained and tested, all leading up to a final save-at-sea sequence that adds a rather ridiculous mythic element to the mix. Kevin Costner stars as a legendary rescuer who's named chief instructor at the Coast Guard's elite training center, only to find himself saddled with a class of callow recruits that includes one standout—a showboat high school champion swimmer (Ashton Kutcher). In utterly predictable fashion, both men overcome their personal problems and bond in the process (over a barroom brawl, of course), while the younger of the pair strikes up a one-night stand with a local lass that will turn into something more. The Guardian is a standard-issue by-the-numbers effort combining Costner's tight-lipped moroseness with Kutcher's cocky exuberance, resulting in a very professional but not terribly memorable film. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Andrew Davis and writer Ron L. Brinkerhoff, the 11-minute “making-of” featurette “Making Waves,” seven minutes of deleted scenes with optional commentary, an “Unsung Heroes” tribute to real-life U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers (6 min.), an alternate ending with an intro by Davis (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so film.] (F. Swietek)