Guardian, The

How do you decide who lives and who dies? "When storms shut down entire ports, we go out. When hurricanes ground the U.S. Navy, we go out. When the Holy Lord Himself reaches down from heaven and decides to destroy His Good Work with winds that'll rip houses off the ground, we go out . . . If by some miracle, you actually have what it takes to become one of us, you get to look forward to a life of meager pay and the distinct possibility of dying slow, cold, and alone somewhere in the vast sea. You will however, get the chance to save lives." -- "THE GUARDIAN" From Andrew Davis, the director of the action-adventure classic "The Fugitive," and starring Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher and a cast of veteran and breakout stars comes THE GUARDIAN, a riveting, white-knuckle story of hardcore courage and selfless sacrifice set inside the never-before-seen world of Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers -- a special breed of men and women who risk their lives against the biggest storms and most monstrous waves in service to the motto: "So that others may live!" Previously seen by most Americans only as the unsung, daredevil heroes who saved thousands in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's deadly floods, the lives and teamwork of Rescue Swimmers come to the fore in this heart-stopping adventure. As THE GUARDIAN begins, legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall (COSTNER) becomes the sole survivor of a deadly crash at the height of a massive storm. In the wake of the accident, he is sent against his will to teach at "A" School -- the elite training program that turns arrogant young recruits into the best and bravest of Rescue Swimmers. Reeling with grief and regret, Ben throws himself into teaching the only way he knows how, turning the entire program upside down with his unconventional, out-of-the-box training methods. But Ben understands exactly what's at stake -- he knows that his students will one day have to make tough decisions between who dies and who lives. When he knocks heads with the cocky swimming champ, Jake Fischer (KUTCHER), Ben sees someone with what it takes to be the best of the best - if only he can combine his raw talent with the heart and dedication necessary and avoid the mistakes that Ben himself has made. Heading out on his first treacherous mission, to the fierce, turbulent waters of Alaska's Bering Sea, Jake will have to put all that he's learned into action as he discovers just what it means to truly risk everything. The film was created with the Coast Guard's full cooperation, utilizing true-life rescue heroes as advisors and as part of the cast. In a production that was itself constantly battling weather and the elements -- and which was designed around a massive, innovative wave tank that simulated the wild, rolling waves of the open ocean -- THE GUARDIAN provides some of the most viscerally realistic scenes of water rescue yet seen on film. Cast: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher
Release year: 2006