The franchise that made “Jack Bauer” the code phrase for patriotism at any price is whittled into an efficient and wholly entertaining narrative in this limited reprise of the massive Fox hit. 24 ended its eight-season run in 2010 on a high (and talk still swirls around the possibility that Kiefer Sutherland and Co. will bring Bauer to the big screen). In the meantime, Live Another Day serves up plenty of tension, action, and sometimes-hard-to-believe politics with its hurtling story about terrorists scheming to blow people up. The setting is London, where President James Heller (William Devane) is plunged into crisis when a bunch of military drones go rogue. Emerging like a ghost, Bauer (Sutherland) is instantly on the scene with all of the answers; but he's also wanted by the Americans, the Russians, and the Chinese. No matter; Bauer whirls through the non-stop action with firearms blazing and his characteristic take-no-prisoners attitude. Along the way, an old romance briefly distracts Bauer, and his beloved tech supporter, Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub), still has his back. Vivid new faces include Benjamin Bratt, Michael Wincott, Tate Donovan, and Michelle Fairley, who all bring gravitas to the mayhem. As ever, Bauer remains a cipher and his fate is left unresolved (a perfect setup perhaps for 24: The Movie). Compiling all 12 episodes from 2014, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, an exclusive storyline extension not aired on TV, and deleted scenes. Recommended. (T. Fry)
24: Live Another Day
Fox, 522 min., not rated, DVD: 4 discs, $49.98; Blu-ray: 3 discs, $59.99 Volume 30, Issue 1
24: Live Another Day
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