The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

 

                        This is a remake of the classic from 1962.  There is a connection in that Nancy Sinatra was a co-producer.  Jonathan Demme (“Swing Shift”) directed.  He got a great cast, including Meryl Streep in the role that Angela Lansbury made famous.  Instead of watching the original, Meryl prepared by watching political commentary, specifically women pundits like Peggy Noonan and Karen Hughes.  The screenplay updates the time period to post-Cold War.

                        The movie opens with a background scene of an American unit doing a recon mission prior to the Persian War.  They are ambushed at night and Sgt. Shaw (Liev Schreiber) is awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in saving his men.  The scene intercuts with one of his men, now Major Marco (Denzel Washington), guest-speaking to some Boy Scouts twelve years after the ambush.  Marco is confronted by Corporal Melvin who has PTSD from the incident and questions the narrative that all the surviving squad members recall.  He’s got reason to be confused because it is revealed that the squad was captured and brainwashed.  The brainwashing is a lot more technological and surreal than the garden party scenes from the original.  Shaw is an up and coming conservative politician who is supported/dominated by his mother (Streep) who is a senator.  Shaw is being considered for a Vice President nomination, but the venerable, liberal Sen. Jordan (Jon Voight, acting against his beliefs) is in his way.   As the politicking rolls along, Marco begins snooping out Melvin’s story because he is having nightmares, too.  He discovers there is a megacorporation named Manchurian Global (this is how the filmmakers managed to update to the Persian Gulf and yet retain the title of the movie) that is involved with Shaw and the brainwashing.  The movie bounces between the Shaws’ machinations to get the nomination and Marcos’ attempts to find the truth.

                        Let’s get this out of the way immediately -  no, it is not as good as the original.  But as an update designed for an audience that has not seen the black and white original, it is satisfactory.  Not only is it updated, but it is enhanced for our modern desire for more.  The incestuous relationship of the Shaws is more clear.  Marco is more messed up.  Shaw is more of a villain than a patsy.  The changes are well-advised.  Capitalism replaces communism as Manchurian Global stands in for Halliburton.  You have to hand it to the company for being able to prepare for something twelve years in advance!  Unfortunately, the updating of the brainwashing scenes is not an improvement over the quaint, but creepy, garden party of the original.  And, of course, Khigh Dhiegh is irreplaceable.  You would think the same would be said about Angela Lansbury, but Streep was the obvious choice for the role and she is equal to it.  The rest of the cast comes through and Washington is clearly a better actor than Sinatra (although Frank was at his best in the original).  The screenplay throws in some nice twists to avoid just replicating the plot in a new scenario.  However, the climax is a let down as it lacks the suspense of the Sinatra film.  Still, it’s a worthy effort and a must-see for conspiracy addicts.

GRADE  =  B-