Murder at 1600 - Snapshot

I remember Murder at 1600 being released when I was in high school, but I didn’t get to catch it then. Since its been on my mind to, I finally watched it last night, 16 years after its release. The plot revolves around a homicide at the white house, and stars Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane in the leading roles. Something that I felt was very obvious was the dated feel of the movie. Both the narrative process and the technical elements were clearly not from current day. From a suspense perspective the movie was pretty good, and it did remain intriguing throughout, though it did drag owing to its very slow pace. Performances were good, with both Snipes and Lane doing a solid job of their characters. The plot interestingly did not romantically link the two, which was a pleasant change. There wasn’t even the slightest sexual tension, and it was clearly a working relationship turned partnership, which was portrayed well. If you’re in the mood for a Suspense/Crime genre flick, with a twist of politics, you’ll find Murder at 1600, worth your while. Be warned though that it’s slow, and the picture especially looks dated, even with original DVD content. Stretch it on a modern large screen HD TV, and you’ll miss the crystal clear picture and vibrant colors even more. Sound was presented by means of a 6 channel Dolby Digital AC3 audio stream, which did a good job with dialog and ambiance. Positional sound was limited but noticeable, especially in the gunfight scene in the underground tunnels.

My Recommendation: Watch It (An old school White House crime drama)