Spartan

Name: Spartan
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 12, 2004
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 60
Cast: Derek Luke, Val Kilmer

2004

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

See All

7.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.5	Your Score
7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Spartan

Now Playing: Spartan

Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: March 12, 2004 | R

Starring: Derek Luke, Val Kilmer

Summary: This political thriller stars Val Kilmer as career military officer working in a highly secretive special operations force that uncovers a white slavery ring.

Director: David Mamet

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 106 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

David Sterritt

When he's good, Mr. Mamet is very good indeed, and Spartan stands with the best work he's done. It's fast-moving, unpredictable, and as tautly, tightly wound as thrillers get. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Using simplicity as another form of deception, Mamet lays out a hand of three-card monte for the audience to see, then tricks it into guessing falsely. In this case, it's worth getting fooled out of a little cash. Read full review

James Berardinelli

The movie worked for me both as a commentary on the electoral process and as a slightly overcooked thriller. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Spartan is a character study embedded in an action-hero scenario. Neither aspect ever really breaks loose. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Just cryptic enough to keep you guessing, and for some viewers that may qualify as a night out. But Mamet's gamesmanship was more fun when it was less eager to look important. Read full review

Peter Travers

Imagine David Mamet rewriting his political satire "Wag the Dog" -- in which a president and his advisers declare war to distract the media from the prez's horn-dog activities -- as a joke-free kidnap drama. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

The heroes (Kilmer, Derek Luke) are all totally good, the villains (Ed O'Neill, William H. Macy) are all totally bad, and the macho one-liners are sufficiently adolescent to produce the desired snickers. I tried very hard to imagine I was somewhere else. Read full review

SEE ALL 34 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

GBJ

Aug 27, 2005

This is a movie for planners, not shooters. Mamet and Kilmer are at the top of their game here, opening the puzzle box bit by bit. The film perfectly captures the tempo and temper of special ops, political power plays, and media hysteria.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

peterf28

Oct 7, 2018

Not a bad movie at all. Watchable and rewatchable...................................

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SEE ALL 2 REVIEWS