Movies

19-Year-Old Action Thriller With Only 34% on RT Is Trending on Netflix Now

19-Year-Old Action Thriller With Only 34% on RT Is Trending on Netflix Now
Image credit: 20th Century Fox

Maybe it is a gem after all?

When creating a movie or any other form of entertainment, the creators rely heavily on the tastes of the audience at the time. And it's no wonder that in the early 2000s, a lot of action thrillers were made.

One of them is The Sentinel, a 2006 movie directed by Clark Johnson and starring Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, and the beloved Eva Longoria. The thing is, the movie is currently trending on Netflix, having climbed to #3 spot worldwide, and maybe there’s a reason why.

The film has a rather low Rotten Tomatoes score: only 34% from critics. They were largely unimpressed with the movie and called it formulaic and uninspired. However, audiences were more forgiving at the time of its release, and the film went on to gross over $78 million worldwide against a $60 million budget.

Now, nearly 20 years later, the film seems to have found a new audience on Netflix, where viewers are drawn to its straightforward, no-frills approach to the action-thriller genre.

What The Sentinel Is About?

19-Year-Old Action Thriller With Only 34% on RT Is Trending on Netflix Now - image 1

The film follows Pete Garrison, a veteran Secret Service agent who is framed for a failed assassination attempt on the president. As Garrison races to clear his name, he must evade his former protégé, David Breckinridge, who is actually leading the investigation. The movie is packed with political intrigue, high-stakes action, and a classic cat-and-mouse chase.

Eva Longoria plays the part of Jill Marin, David Breckinridge’s partner. And frankly, she is very persuasive in the role. Known for her iconic performance in Desperate Housewives, she adds a touch of glamour and intensity to the mix. Which makes their couple work perfectly, even though the script is rather uneventful.

Yes, it may not be a masterpiece, but The Sentinel's recent rise on Netflix is a simple reminder that sometimes even the movies with no critical acclaim can end up in the platform's top. So whether you're revisiting it or discovering it for the first time, this 19-year-old thriller is worth a watch (at least to check out what the fuss is about).

You can stream The Sentinel on Netflix and make up your own mind about the movie as it’s enjoying its second life on the platform.