During the awards season, action thrillers don't usually get much attention, but the film by Wolfgang Petersen was deservedly honored by the biggest gathering in town, which came after it clinched instant classic status and recouped its $40 million budget four and a half times.
The 1993 epic of political turmoil and assassination attempts earned Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing, all of which were fully deserved. Clint Eastwood, however, did not receive a look-in, which is a shame when he exploits his baggage and screen persona to give one of his most underrated performances.
Eastwood's jaded Secret Service veteran is taunted by Oscar-nominated John Malkovich's would-be killer, who makes it abundantly clear that he intends to replicate the 1963 tragedy while giving the disillusioned agent a chance to avoid repeating the mistakes of his previous.
In the Line of Fire, by far, is one of the finest politically-charged thrillers to ever come out of Hollywood, something Netflix subscribers are either discovering or experiencing for the first time.
Per FlixPatrol, the most-watched streaming service with the life of the most powerful man in the country on the line, has dropped in front of a bullet, 30 years after its debut in cinemas across the globe.