Customer Reviews

Murder at 1600

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Once again I find myself praising a movie that a majority of folks seem to view as average at best. Murder at 1600 is a serious movie that you can't take too seriously, not if you want to enjoy it. Wesley Snipes has a few humorous bits, and Dennis Miller is his normally wisecracking self, and I think the movie perhaps benefits from this remote air of unreality due to its subject matter - after all, the brutal murder of a young woman inside the White House is some pretty serious stuff. The other main aspect of the film, which supplies the motive for the murder in the first place, is - granted - a little bit out there, and that is where the subtle sense of unreality pays dividends; without it, it would really be hard to get from here to there.

Carla Towne is a young unknown White House staffer - until her body is found in a White House restroom sporting a number of deadly knife wounds. This is not good news for the President, who is already bottoming out in the polls for still attempting to negotiate, six months into the crisis, the release of an AWAC crew captured and obviously tortured by the North Koreans. Wesley Snipes plays Detective Harlan Regis, the investigator summoned to the White House to investigate the murder. The Secret Service as an organization is less than friendly and cooperative, viewing the White House as its beat alone. Except for his buddy and sometimes partner (played by Dennis Miller), Regis is pretty much on his own. The tight-lipped and intimidating Nick Spikings (Daniel Benzali), the chief of White House security and definite contender for the next Lex Luthor look-alike contest (his Marlon Brando impersonation isn't half bad, either) assigns Agent Nina Chance (Diane Lane) as Regis' liaison with the Secret Service. Spikings doesn't mess around, and once he has tabbed an individual for the murder, he wants Chance to have nothing to do with Regis. The detective is pretty persistent, though, and Chance has to weigh her sense of duty against her sense of justice.

The list of suspects is quite fluid, and I think the movie does a very good job of sustaining suspense and the sense of mystery throughout. The facts as Regis acquires them make not only the President's philandering son, but the President himself possible suspects. Then you have the crisis with North Korea coming to the fore, with the President really frustrating his top advisors with his incredibly wimpy refusal to risk war with North Korea over the military hostage crisis. The truth, when it comes, does push the envelope to some degree, but it is certainly logical in the given context. I didn't ID the real bad guy any sooner than Regis and Chance did, so that to me is a good thing.

A great mystery, plenty of action, power politics, lust, murder, conspiracy inside conspiracy: Murder in 1600 offers the viewers all of this and more. The ending itself is well done in my opinion, as well. Thus, this reviewer counts this as an impressive and very entertaining thriller.

It's a dark and stormy night at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Under the eternally captured eyes of Washington and Jefferson, a lovely young blonde is having sex in one of the rooms in the White House. Soon a maid discovers her body in a stall in the restroom. She has been stabbed to death. Uh-oh, is this going to be a problem or what?
MURDER AT 1600 has a lot of incredible plot contrivances that don't work unless you go ahead, suspend your belief, and enjoy the ride. Dwight Little's competent direction allows us to do that. Remember, it's just a movie, and even though its plot seems a bit far-fetched at times, it works as an engrossing thriller. Wesley Snipes is convincing as a no-nonsense DC homicide detective who forces himself onto the investigation, which should have been federally handled since it took place on Federal property. But then we wouldn't have had a movie. Diane Lane in a rare "action" role is marvelous as Dena Chance, the secret service liaison who realizes a cover up is going on. Daniel Benzali (from the critically acclaimed but short-lived tv series MURDER ONE) chews up the scenery as the head of security and the always delightful Alan Alda gives fine support as the head of NSA. It was nice to see the still lovely Diane Baker as the First Lady (I remember her so fondly from those 60s tearjerkers and of course as the murderess in STRAIT JACKET); Ronny Cox is an appropriately wimpy president; and Tate Donovan does well in the underdeveloped role of the president's sexually promiscous son.
This is one of those aw heck, what the heck kind of movies. It's fun to watch and I enjoyed it.

This is the first murder mystery film to have the White House as the location of the crime. This is what makes the film more suspenseful and interesting. I have this DVD and I really like this movie. It's really worth watching.

Murder at 1600's strong point is that it has characters you want to care about. Wesley Snipes has this type of character nailed down as an "officer just wanting to do my job" (Detective Regis) as he's done in pictures such as Passenger 57. Diane Lane as Special Agent Nina Chance is once again great and beautiful as ever. The plot of the movie has some twists as a murder in the White House is used as a cover up (or not as a cover up) to disgrace the First Family. One complaint is, somehow Ronny Cox should have continued his run as a "baddie" (Total Recall, Robo Cop) in films. He and Alan Alda (as Alvin Jordan, National Security Advisor) should have switched roles in the film. Alan Alda should have played the President in the movie. Otherwise, a pretty good thriller from start to finish.

Conspiracies, corruption, cover ups. Welcome to Washington D.C. Nothing new there, but a murder in the White House along with all the corruption and cover ups makes for a good story. Snipes, D.C. homicide cop, is called in to investigate. Through the political jungle that surrounds the White House and its denizens, Snipes makes his way through to the truth with the help of a Secret Service agent, played very well by Lane. Twists and turns abound, which is one of the elements that make the movie so enjoyable. It was just an all around fun movie, and more believable than a lot of other action, who-done-it films.

3 of 5 stars for the drama movie Murder at 1600. A solid good movie richly photographed. The story opens with a murder in the White House. When the local police arrive the "coverup" starts. The local police detective is played by one of my favorite actors Wesley Snipes. As the investigation progresses, we start learning of missing information and false leads. On the surface, it looks like an odd murder; deeper we learn that it is a plot to ultimately force the president to resign. So the movie is interesting with several surprises and plot twists. My only complaint is that it is a long movie considering its contents. I could probably cut 30 minutes from it and make it move faster; each scene is about 10 seconds longer than it needs to be. Good direction, weak editing in post-production. OK, so I do like this movie and I do recommend it.

It's a cop flick with WESLEY SNIPES, can it get any better! *sigh* Seriously though....normally i roll my eyes when I see that my mom got ANOTHER cop flick but when I watched this I realized that it wasn't just another cop flick, it was exciting, thrilling, and definitely #1 on my best cop flick list. I encourage you to if not buy this movie then at least watch it. You won't be disappointed! (WARNING: this is my opinion, this comment doesn't guarantee absolute satisfaction or any other such thing!)

A murder in the White House? Could this really happen? Today, I guess, just about anything can happen. Who knows what people with "agendas" are capable of doing.

Wesley Snipes is on the D.C. police force and is called in to investigate a murder at the White House. Diane Lane is on the White House Secret Service detail and the two together work to solve "who done it".

This was a very good suspense movie, well acted by all the cast. The blending of Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane as a team was very interesting.

Murder at 1600, brings to the screen the story of a D.C. detective as he tries to solve the mystery surrounding the murder of a young woman found dead within the White House. What he encounters though, might be more than he bargained for...
Wesley Snipes, Diane Lane (who is GORGEOUS!), Alan Alda, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are exceptional to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows, allowing for a highly entertaining movie.
It's too bad we don't see "more" of Diane Lane, even though she is quite "gifted..."
The setting, the plot, the dialogues, and the music are all very good.
In short, though not a masterpiece it is definitely a movie worth watching, as it will surely provide for an evening's entertainment.

The story about a DC cop (Snipes) investigates murder of a young woman in the White House. Everybody is a suspect including the President and his son. The story is quite good and Dwight Little direction keeps the film interesting all the way. The DVD sound and picture quality is very good. This movie also features my favorite actress, Diane Lane. She is so good in the role of Secret service. I am so disappointed she was not even considered to replace Jodie Foster in the sequel of Silence of the lamb (Julianne Moore got the part). The producer should have seen this movie before made the decision. Anyway it is a great entertaining DVD to be added to your collection. You won't be sorry.