''Quicksand'' is a 2003

direct-to-video 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 w ...

British-French-German co-produced

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

starring

Michael Keaton Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in ''Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in '' Beetlejuice'' ...

and

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...

. The film was released in Germany,

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...

, Sweden and Norway in 2003, in United States on 16 March 2004 and in the United Kingdom on 1 November 2004. ''Quicksand'' was filmed in South France between December 2000 and January 2001, originally set for a 2002 release.

Plot

Martin Raikes is an American bank investigator who is sent to

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...

to check up on the suspicious financial dealings of a movie production. After the business trip, Martin, who is divorced, will fly to London to visit his daughter. Martin is met by the film company's CFO, Lela Forin, who introduces him to the movie's leading man, washed-up action star Jake Mellows. Something is rotten with the production, though, and Martin senses it. Unfortunately, he sticks his nose in a little too deep for the corrupt bankrollers' tastes, and is soon deemed a threat. Martin is first offered a mega-bribe, but he rejects it. As it turns out, the bankrollers are Russian mafia, led by Oleg Butraskaya. Martin suddenly finds himself framed for an assassination attempt, and the hostile authorities—on the payroll of the mob—want to kill him. American authorities are also hot on his trail, investigating him for money laundering, among other false charges. As Martin sifts through the mystery, he reveals the nefarious nature of Oleg's rackets, which include illegal pornography, kidnapping and money laundering. Not knowing whom to trust, he turns to Lela, but soon, she, too, is marked for death. Jake, who has gambling debts, is persuaded by Oleg to speak lines for the film that are actually used to make Martin believe the actor is holding Martin's daughter captive. After a fight between them, Martin and Jake join forces with Lela to stage an illusion during which Oleg incriminates himself to the law. Lela develops a new film project for Jake and a personal interest in Martin.

Cast

as Martin Raikes *

as Jake Mellows * Judith Godreche as Lela Forin *

Rade Šerbedžija Rade Šerbedžija ( sr-Cyrl, Раде Шербеџија, ; born 27 July 1946) is a Croatian actor, director and musician. He is known for his portrayals of imposing figures on both sides of the law. He was one of the best known Yugoslav actors i ...

as Oleg Butraskaya * Matthew Marsh as Michel Cote * Xander Berkeley as Joey Patterson *

Kathleen Wilhoite Kathleen Wilhoite (born June 29, 1964) is an American actress and musician. She made her feature film debut in '' Private School'' (1983) before having a leading role in '' Murphy's Law'' (1986), followed by supporting parts in ''Witchboard'' (a ...

as Beth Ann * Rachel Ferjani as Rachel * Elina Löwensohn as Vannessa *

Clare Thomas Clare Lucy Prosser (née Thomas; born 2 April 1989) is a British actress who has appeared in several British films and television series. Some of her highest profile roles have been Aggie, one of the title character's classmates in the film ''M ...

as Emma *

Hermione Norris Hermione Jane Norris (born 5 December 1966) is an English actress. She attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in the 1980s, before taking small roles in theatre and on television. In 1996, she was cast in her breakout role of Ka ...

as Sarah * William Beck as Nicoli *

Jean-Yves Berteloot Jean-Yves Berteloot (born 27 August 1958) is a French actor. Theater Filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Berteloot, Jean-Yves 1958 births Living people People from Saint-Omer French male film actors French ma ...

as Vincent Deschamps *

Jean-Pierre Castaldi Jean-Pierre Castaldi (born 1 October 1944) is a French actor. He is the father of French TV presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television program ...

as Jean Pillon * Colin Stinton as Harbinson * Bogdan E. Stanoevitch as Oleg's Driver * Paul O'Boyle as Close Cropped Man * Patrick Mazet as Detective *

Paul Birchard Paul Birchard is an American actor who lives in Finland. He has appeared in film, television, stage and radio productions, most notably as Bud in ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' with the Royal National Theatre, Ross in ''The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?'' at ...

as F.B.I. Man * Bob Friend as Newscaster * Sabrina Mongin as Nina * Axelle Behary as Tasha * Stéphane Lévêque as Desk Clerk * Jake Broder as Technician * Serge Soric as Scene Shifter Driver * Ivan Marevich as Scene Shifter Driver's Mate * Simon Smith as Mikhail * Herve Candy as First Slavic Girl * Aurelie Attyasse as Second Slavic Girl * Sebastian Barrio as First French Man * Pascal Saint-James as Second French Man * Stephan Chrisz as Second French Man (Look Alike) * Didier Casnati (uncredited) as Himself

Release

''Quicksand'' was released in Germany,

, Sweden and Norway on 13 May 2003, in the United States on 16 March 2004 and in the United Kingdom on 1 November 2004.

Filming

''Quicksand'' was filmed in South France between December 2000 and January 2001, originally set for a 2002 release.

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 2003 films 2003 crime thriller films 2003 direct-to-video films 2000s English-language films American crime thriller films Artisan Entertainment films British chase films British crime thriller films Direct-to-video crime films Direct-to-video thriller films English-language French films English-language German films Films scored by Anthony Marinelli Films about kidnapping Films about assassinations Films about filmmaking Films about miscarriage of justice Films directed by John Mackenzie (film director) Films set in France Films set in Monaco French crime thriller films German crime thriller films 2000s American films 2000s British films 2000s French films 2000s German films