U.S. Marshals is a
1998The year 1998 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
actionAction movies are a film genre wherein the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero. While action has long been an element of films, the "Action film" as a genre of its own began to develop in the...
thriller film, and a spiritual sequel to
The FugitiveThe Fugitive is a American film based on the television series of the same name. The film was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, and Tommy Lee Jones as Deputy United States Marshal Samuel Gerard. Jones won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his...
. The storyline of
U.S. Marshals does not feature the character Dr. Richard Kimble, and the part of main protagonist has been passed onto Samuel Gerard and his team of U.S. Marshals who pursued Kimble in the first film.
The film opens with
closed-circuit televisionClosed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors.It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point wireless links...
footage of an exchange between two men taking place in a parking garage, which appears to be foiled by agents of the
U.S. State Department'sThe United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, similar to foreign ministries, foreign offices, ministries of external relations, etc. in other countries...
Diplomatic Security ServiceThe U.S. Diplomatic Security Service is the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Department of State. The majority of its Special Agents are members of the Foreign Service and federal law enforcement agents at the same time, making them unique. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the...
(DSS).
Mark Warren (
Wesley SnipesWesley Trent Snipes is a an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. He has starred in action-adventures, thrillers, and dramatic feature films but is best known for his role as Blade in the Blade trilogy. In 1991, the actor formed a production company called Amen Ra Films and a...
) is arrested after a traffic accident, enabling police to discover he is a federal fugitive by the name of Mark Roberts.
U.S. Marshals is a
1998The year 1998 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
actionAction movies are a film genre wherein the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero. While action has long been an element of films, the "Action film" as a genre of its own began to develop in the...
thriller film, and a spiritual sequel to
The FugitiveThe Fugitive is a American film based on the television series of the same name. The film was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, and Tommy Lee Jones as Deputy United States Marshal Samuel Gerard. Jones won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his...
. The storyline of
U.S. Marshals does not feature the character Dr. Richard Kimble, and the part of main protagonist has been passed onto Samuel Gerard and his team of U.S. Marshals who pursued Kimble in the first film.
Plot
The film opens with
closed-circuit televisionClosed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors.It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point wireless links...
footage of an exchange between two men taking place in a parking garage, which appears to be foiled by agents of the
U.S. State Department'sThe United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, similar to foreign ministries, foreign offices, ministries of external relations, etc. in other countries...
Diplomatic Security ServiceThe U.S. Diplomatic Security Service is the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Department of State. The majority of its Special Agents are members of the Foreign Service and federal law enforcement agents at the same time, making them unique. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the...
(DSS).
Mark Warren (
Wesley SnipesWesley Trent Snipes is a an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. He has starred in action-adventures, thrillers, and dramatic feature films but is best known for his role as Blade in the Blade trilogy. In 1991, the actor formed a production company called Amen Ra Films and a...
) is arrested after a traffic accident, enabling police to discover he is a federal fugitive by the name of Mark Roberts. While being transported to New York by plane, Roberts shares the flight with Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (
Tommy Lee JonesTommy Lee Jones is an American actor and director.His film roles include federal marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive and U.S. Marshals, the villain "Two-Face" in Batman Forever, the mysterious Agent K in the Men in Black films, Western peace officers Woodrow F. Call in Lonesome Dove and Ed Tom...
) who is traveling under the orders of his boss to get out of town following a publicized incident of alleged brutality during an arrest unrelated to Roberts' case. A Chinese prisoner attempts to assassinate Roberts by shooting him with a
zip gunAn improvised firearm is a firearm manufactured by someone who is not a regular maker of firearms, such as a firearms manufacturer or a gunsmith, and are typically constructed by adapting existing materials to the purpose...
concealed in a toilet paper holder but the attempt fails; however it results in a plane crash due to the gunshot traveling through a window and depressurizing the cabin of the plane.
After all the other prisoners are accounted for, Gerard discovers Roberts is missing and has become a fugitive again. According to DSS officials, Roberts is actually Mark Sheridan who was an operative in a mission that went bad (the footage in the opening sequence). Sheridan was framed for murdering fellow DSS agents, resulting in his criminal record. Federal officials are attempting to find a mole in the agency suspected of selling secrets to the Chinese government. DSS Special Agent John Royce (
Robert Downey Jr.Robert John Downey, Jr. is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Downey made his screen debut at the age of five when he appeared in one of his father's films, and has worked consistently in film and television ever since. During the 1980s, he had roles in a series of coming of age films...
) joins Gerard and his team in the search.
The Marshals almost catch Sheridan in a swamp, but a standoff with Gerard and Royce results in Sheridan shooting Gerard in a bullet-proof vest and then getting away. Sheridan makes it to New York City, secures money, weapons and false ID, and begins conducting surveillance on Chinese attache/spy Xian Chen (
Michael Paul ChanMichael Paul Chan is an American television and film actor. Some of his recent television work includes Judge Lionel Ping on Arrested Development, Robbery Homicide Division, Dr. Lee in the Joel Schumacher directed "Batman & Robin," and Detective Michael Tao on the TNT series The Closer. He had a...
). In Chicago, Gerard and the Marshals pursue several leads, including Roberts' girlfriend (
Irène JacobIrène Marie Jacob is a French-born Swiss actress considered one of the preeminent French actresses of her generation. Jacob gained international recognition and acclaim through her work with Polish film director Krzysztof Kieslowski, who cast her in the lead role of The Double Life of Véronique...
), and the airplane mechanic who hid the zip gun, the latter of whom the marshals would find killed by Chen.
Gerard and team view surveillance footage that suggests that Sheridan acted in self defense, and that he could not have been identified by fingerprints at the scene as he was wearing gloves. Police reports and interviews with DSS officials, as well as electronic and foot surveillance of the girlfriend lead the team to New York on the heels of Sheridan.
Eventually, the team catches up with Sheridan in a cemetery (where Sheridan had planned to confront one of the conspirators). Following a shootout with Chen, Sheridan flees to a residential home where Deputy Marshal Noah Newman (
Tom WoodThomas Mills Wood is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his portrayal of "U.S. Marshal Noah Newman" in the 1993 movie The Fugitive and the 1998 movie U.S. Marshals...
) is shot by Royce (who claims that Newman was actually ambushed and shot by Sheridan). Sheridan escapes by jumping onto the top of a passing train. Newman dies in transit to the hospital.
After finding empty seasickness pill containers in a getaway car, Gerard locates and captures Sheridan on a ship bound for Canada, with assistance from Royce, who shoots Sheridan.
Due to his behavior and change of firearm (displayed in an earlier scene), Gerard begins to suspect that Royce may be associated with the mole within the U.S. State Department and Royce is left to guard Sheridan's hospital room. He gives Sheridan a knife and attempts to kill him, to claim an attempted escape and self-defense.
Gerard returns and Royce tries to shoot him to further frame Sheridan, not knowing that his gun has been switched and is empty. He pulls an alternate firearm but is fatally shot by Gerard. After leaving the hospital, Sheridan's charges are dropped and he is released.
Cast
- Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and director.His film roles include federal marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive and U.S. Marshals, the villain "Two-Face" in Batman Forever, the mysterious Agent K in the Men in Black films, Western peace officers Woodrow F. Call in Lonesome Dove and Ed Tom...
as Chief Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard
- Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is a an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. He has starred in action-adventures, thrillers, and dramatic feature films but is best known for his role as Blade in the Blade trilogy. In 1991, the actor formed a production company called Amen Ra Films and a...
as Mark J. Sheridan/Warren/Roberts
- Robert Downey Jr.
Robert John Downey, Jr. is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Downey made his screen debut at the age of five when he appeared in one of his father's films, and has worked consistently in film and television ever since. During the 1980s, he had roles in a series of coming of age films...
as Special Agent John Royce, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)
- Joe Pantoliano
Joseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, and for his role as Cypher in The Matrix.-Personal life:...
as Deputy Marshal Cosmo Renfro
- Daniel Roebuck
Daniel Randall Roebuck is an American television and movie actor, writer and producer, primarily in movies, soap operas and television.-Life and career:...
as Deputy Marshal Bobby Biggs
- Tom Wood as Deputy Marshal Noah Newman
- Latanya Richardson
Latanya Richardson is an American actress. She graduated from Spelman College in 1974. While at Spelman, she met Samuel L. Jackson who would later become her husband. She and Jackson married in 1981 and have one daughter named Zoe.-Film roles:* Richardson starred alongside Cuba Gooding Jr...
as Deputy Marshal Savannah Cooper
- Irène Jacob
Irène Marie Jacob is a French-born Swiss actress considered one of the preeminent French actresses of her generation. Jacob gained international recognition and acclaim through her work with Polish film director Krzysztof Kieslowski, who cast her in the lead role of The Double Life of Véronique...
as Marie Bineaux, Mark's Girlfriend
- Kate Nelligan
Patricia Colleen "Kate" Nelligan is a Canadian stage, film and television actress.-Early life:Nelligan, the fourth of six children, was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of Josephine Alice , a schoolteacher, and Patrick Joseph Nelligan, a factory repairman and municipal employee in charge of...
as United States Marshal Catherine Walsh
- Patrick Malahide
Patrick Malahide is a British actor, who has played many major film and television roles.-Personal life:Malahide, real name Patrick Gerald Duggan, was born in Reading, Berkshire, the son of Irish immigrants, a cook mother and a school secretary father...
as Special Agent Bertram Lamb, Director of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)
- Rick Snyder as Special Agent Frank Barrows, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)
- Michael Paul Chan
Michael Paul Chan is an American television and film actor. Some of his recent television work includes Judge Lionel Ping on Arrested Development, Robbery Homicide Division, Dr. Lee in the Joel Schumacher directed "Batman & Robin," and Detective Michael Tao on the TNT series The Closer. He had a...
as Xian Chen, U.N. Cultural Attache of China
- Johnny Lee Davenport as Deputy Marshal Henry
- Donald Li as Detective Kim
- Marc Vann
Marc Vann is an American actor. He is known for his role as Conrad Ecklie on the CBS television series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Although this role as agitator to Gil Grissom has earned the character evident dislike by CSI fans, Vann himself has a small but growing fanbase...
as Deputy Jackson
Reception
Based on 29 reviews collected by the film review aggregator
Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films. The name derives from the historical cliché of throwing tomatoes and other produce at stage performers if a performance was particularly bad.- History :...
, 24% of critics gave
U.S. Marshals a positive review, with an average rating of 4.9/10.
The film grossed $$57,167,405 domestically and $45,200,000 in foreign markets, totaling $102,367,405 worldwide.