''End Game'' is a 2006 American
action film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include l ...
written and directed by
Andy Cheng
Cheng Kai-Chung, also known as Andy Cheng, is a Hong Kong actor, stuntman, choreographer, martial artist, and director. He was a prominent member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team from the late 1990s to early 2000s until he broke out on his own and ...
, and starring
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appear ...
as
Secret Service
A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For ...
agent Alex Thomas, who is shot in the hand while unsuccessfully trying to protect the
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
(
Jack Scalia
Jack Scalia (born November 10, 1950) is an American actor. He has had many roles in television series (both as a regular and as a guest-star), television movies, and feature films. He is perhaps best known for his role as Chris Stamp on ''All My ...
) from an assassin's bullet. Later, with the help of a persistent newspaper reporter named Kate Crawford (
Angie Harmon
Angela Michelle Harmon (born August 10, 1972) is an American actress and model. She won ''Seventeens modeling contest in 1987 at age 15, signed with IMG Models, and appeared on covers for magazines such as ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''Esquire''. ...
), he uncovers a vast conspiracy behind what initially appeared to be a lone gunman. The film co-stars
James Woods
James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his work in various film, stage, and television productions. He started his career in minor roles on and off- Broadway. In 1972, he appeared in ''The Trial of the ...
,
Burt Reynolds, and
Anne Archer. This film was originally set to be shown in cinemas by
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
in 2005, but was delayed by the takeover from Sony and eventually sent
direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
.
Plot
While giving a speech, the president is shot by a man holding a camera. The president's main Secret Service agent, Alex Thomas (
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appear ...
), is grazed by the bullet that hits the president. Thomas and other Secret Service agents kill the shooter, but the president dies at the hospital.
Kate Crawford (
Angie Harmon
Angela Michelle Harmon (born August 10, 1972) is an American actress and model. She won ''Seventeens modeling contest in 1987 at age 15, signed with IMG Models, and appeared on covers for magazines such as ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''Esquire''. ...
), an investigative journalist, starts asking questions about the assassination. Anyone she questions is killed. She goes to Thomas's house to tell him what is happening. As they head to his boat, Thomas sees some men hiding in the bushes. He sees a bomb on his boat, and throws Crawford into the water and dives in after her as the boat explodes. While the pair are underwater, the men move close and open fire on them. Thomas kills two of the hitmen while a third hitman drives off to inform his boss what happened. Thomas and Crawford are able to link the hitmen to a man called Jack Baldwin (
Peter Greene
Peter Greene (born Peter Green; October 8, 1965) is an American actor. A character actor, he is generally known for portraying villains. He is best known for the roles in the 1994 films ''The Mask'', where he plays the films antagonist, Dorian ...
).
Thomas and other Secret Service members attack Baldwin's location. Baldwin escapes but is later caught by Thomas. After a meeting with General Montgomery (
Burt Reynolds), Thomas and Crawford become suspicious of Vaughan Stevens (
James Woods
James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his work in various film, stage, and television productions. He started his career in minor roles on and off- Broadway. In 1972, he appeared in ''The Trial of the ...
), Thomas's boss, who turns out to have had previous links to Baldwin. While reviewing film of the assassination, Thomas discovers that Stevens handed the assassin a gun during the president's entrance. Thomas leaves to find Stevens while Crawford stays at his house.
When Thomas arrives at Stevens' home he finds him dead. Thomas sees a car with a female driver leaving the house. He then receives a call that Baldwin has escaped. Baldwin attacks Crawford, but Thomas arrives and kills him. Thomas arrives at the first lady's (
Anne Archer) house to see the car that left Stevens' house pulling away. Thomas discovers that the first lady wanted her husband killed because he was being unfaithful to her.
A few weeks later Crawford and Thomas have dinner. Thomas decides that protecting the dead president's reputation is more important than implicating his widow, and tells Crawford that he still does not know who wanted the president dead.
Cast
*
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appear ...
as Alex Thomas
*
Angie Harmon
Angela Michelle Harmon (born August 10, 1972) is an American actress and model. She won ''Seventeens modeling contest in 1987 at age 15, signed with IMG Models, and appeared on covers for magazines such as ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''Esquire''. ...
as Kate Crawford
*
James Woods
James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his work in various film, stage, and television productions. He started his career in minor roles on and off- Broadway. In 1972, he appeared in ''The Trial of the ...
as Vaughn Stevens
*
Patrick Fabian
Patrick Fabian (born December 7, 1964) is an American film, stage, and television actor. He is known for his role as attorney Howard Hamlin in ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–2022). His film roles include '' End Game'' (2006), ''The Last Exorcism' ...
as Brian Martin
*
Peter Greene
Peter Greene (born Peter Green; October 8, 1965) is an American actor. A character actor, he is generally known for portraying villains. He is best known for the roles in the 1994 films ''The Mask'', where he plays the films antagonist, Dorian ...
as Jack Baldwin
*
Jack Scalia
Jack Scalia (born November 10, 1950) is an American actor. He has had many roles in television series (both as a regular and as a guest-star), television movies, and feature films. He is perhaps best known for his role as Chris Stamp on ''All My ...
as The President
*
Anne Archer as The First Lady
*
David Selby as Shakey Fuller
*
Burt Reynolds as General Montgomery
Filming
Although set in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, ''End Game'' was actually filmed in
Spokane
Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Ca ...
as indicated by the end credits, and hinted at by the evergreen fir trees in the background in most outdoor scenes. The actual city of Washington appears only in aerial shots. Part of ''End Game'' was filmed on the campus of
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University (GU) () is a private Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Founded in 1887 by Joseph Cataldo, an Italian-born priest and Jesuit missionary, the ...
.
Release
In the first week ''End Game'' opened at #20 at rentals chart and earned $1.18 million.
References
External links
*
* {{rotten-tomatoes, 1159393_end_game
2006 films
2006 direct-to-video films
2006 action films
American action films
Films set in Washington, D.C.
Films shot in Washington (state)
Nu Image films
Sony Pictures direct-to-video films
2006 directorial debut films
2000s English-language films
2000s American films