Movie Review: The Kidnapping Of The President (1980)

Genre: Thriller  

Director: George Mendeluk  

Starring: William Shatner, Hal Holbrook, Van Johnson, Ava Gardner, Miguel Fernandes  

Running Time: 114 minutes  

Synopsis: South American terrorist Assanti (Miguel Fernandes) emerges from the jungle and lands in Toronto ahead of a visit by US President Adam Scott (Hal Holbrook). Secret Service Agent Jerry O'Connor (William Shatner) senses a threat, but his warnings go unheeded. Assanti makes his move during a public event, forcing Scott into an armored truck rigged with explosives. With Vice President Ethan Richards (Van Johnson) compromised by a corruption scandal and an ambitious wife (Ava Gardner), O'Connor has to negotiate with Assanti and find a way to save the President.

What Works Well: The adaptation of Charles Templeton's book benefits from a decent cast, with William Shatner, Van Johnson, Ava Gardner, and especially Hal Holbrook maintaining interest. They are augmented by Miguel Fernandes, who makes for a sturdy hard-edged villain. The basic premise of holding the President hostage inside a booby-trapped armored truck parked in full public view is innovative. 

What Does Not Work As Well: This is a clunky B-movie with rudimentary production values and an opening sequence in the South American jungle that unleashes unnecessarily jarring violence. Once the kidnapping unfolds, plenty of relatively uneventful time has to be consumed before the frantic climax, exposing bumbling ineptitude by both VP Richards and Agent O'Connor. Critical missing plot points include a crowd meekly acquiescing to stand around near a bomb; and no negotiations about when and how the President will be safe once the terrorist demands are met.

Key Quote:

Assanti (handcuffed to the President, wearing an explosive vest, and holding a detonator): I'm taking this man to that truck!

President Scott: Hell you are!

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