wolfgang peterson in the line of fire be cunning and occasionally a truly white knuckle ride and even if once or twice we might feel like we have be down similar road before . how could one not when clint eastwood and right after ( allegedly ) close the book on his western legacy and likely close the one on his gritty detective picture ( do not count blood work in there ) . but there more than that because eastwood character and here a hard bitten and demon ridden and hard a nails secret service agent and have a slightly charming side to him and even the more romantic side that one never get to see in the picture where he spout his trademark line . there be some complexity go on here that do not rely on just the usual swagger and and it note worthy for how such a possibly contrive back story ( do not save kennedy from be assassinate in 63 ) be make somewhat believable amidst the rest of his persona and which more than likely hide his wound most of the time . eastwood go to town to make himself a great presence in the film and however and and under the circumstance the character seem tailor make for him . but there would be the risk of his part in the movie be slightly conventional ( we still get the harry type scene of him be smarter and a smart as over everyone else in the room and and be scold and tell to back off by the top brass and here a chief of staff ) and include here protect a president that ( wisely ) we never really see or know at all . even the romantic sub plot and which be sort of undercooked if there for some machismo laugh and would make the picture a little sub par if the other quasi dirty harry aspect do not come into the picture represent an indelible villain . this time there some extra hollywood suspense and however brillaintly intelligent suspense ( almost smart than the rest of the movie deserve ) and with the john booth character and play in an oscar nominate performance by john malkovich and a someone who describe more a a predator than an assassin . there way this could go wrong with the eastwood character and but malkovich possibly trump some of his former villain counterpart by be extremely cool and un collect ( there that devastate and cringe worthy scene where he kill the bank teller and her roommate ) and and a his past be reveal and there still that element of what the hell be with this guy that keep the audience and eastwood agent guessing and extra paranoid . it a classic malkovich performance and quintessentially creepy and always measure in the level of insanity and professionalism . it also and aside from the conventional point and just a sleekly make picture from peterson and company and and they come pretty close to the spunky pulp realism of don siegel . but peterson also have a couple of cinematic trick up his sleeve that have me grin at time while anytime someone put in such a blatant but exciting homage to vertigo jump from rooftop to rooftop and hero dangle from the ledge and the twist it still provide some shiver down my spine . there also the phone conversation between eastwood and malkovich and where we see the depth of the cat and mouse game and probably another kick in the rib to hithcock . but in the end and even with all the excitement and brutal danger and crisp formalism in the climax and it also a character picture in some way throughout and and everything be fairly realize to give the audience a fine amount to ponder over and at least in the suspense movie sense . eastwod a great lead and russo play the female possible love interest sincere and mature and and malkovich be top of the pop . there also a few notable support role too and and a fine studio score in there . one of the good film of 1993 .