Simply A Masterpiece

Sadly Over-hyped

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Standardized but well-made action thriller, with a gender-reversal: here, it's the wife that has to move heaven and earth to rescue her kidnapped husband. Ernest Dickerson is an experienced director and the film is made with professionalism and does not look like a made-for-TV project, although you'll probably forget it as soon as you've finished watching it. Catherine Bell is a very good action heroine - sneaky and quick, no fuss, wham-bam-thank-you-mam - but her abilities are underutilized; Mekhi Phifer and Anthony Micahel Hall provide solid support, and there is one plot twist that I feel almost ashamed for allowing it to fool me. **1/2 out of 4.

Catherine Bell stars with Anthony Michael Hall and Mekhi Phifer in "Last Man Standing," a 2011 TV movie, also produced by Bell.Do I need to say it's a Lifetime Movie? It is. It gets points for not being a retread of their stalker movies, wife killer movies, husband killer movies, and two women in love with the same man movies.In this film, Bell plays a former military secret operative, retired, and now a mom with a little girl and a husband (Hall, totally wasted). Suddenly, her life is turned upside down - one of her partners in the military commits suicide, and shortly afterward, her husband is kidnapped. Bell has to go back into her past skill set and do what the kidnappers want, all the time searching for her husband.This wasn't great, though it had some good sequences. I figured out who was behind it practically before I knew what she was ordered to do in order to keep her husband from being killed.The performances were so-so - I frankly don't find Bell that interesting an actress. And one thing I hated was that she and her husband were so nauseatingly lovey-dovey, in order to set the stage that she led this idyllic life.This film is a tiny bit reminiscent of "The Long Kiss Goodnight," a film starring Geena Davis, which is fantastic and highly recommended. Last Man Standing is just okay, but if you're a fan of "Army Wives'" Bell, you will like it a lot more.

First of all the leading lady Catherine Bell was so unbelievable that I had to laugh at this little woman knocking out all the men around her, forcing police cars off the road and generally being a pain in the butt. I was laughing at most of the picture. She looked cross eyed most of the time and definitely not an attractive person to watch on a large screen. Why is this actress working? Then the plot was silly and most of the time just boring to watch. Kept turning to another channel for relief. But wanted to see the ending. I just can't get over all of these large men being attacked by her and she the victor. That made this totally unbelievable. I kept wanting someone to catch her and lock her up. But she keeps getting away with breaking the law. What a waste of Anthony Michael Hall. That's it. Dislike this actress.

Close Quarters, released under name of The Last Man Standing. This fast paced action flick is Lifetimes breakout from "ladies" and family films. Stars Catherine Bell as soccer mom married to vet. making pancakes, telling bedtime stories to small daughter. Typical stay at home mom and wife. Suddenly her quiet little warm life falls apart when her husband is taken . She has to reach back into her past. A past she has locked away. To find the reason and save the man she loves. This great film uses fast flashbacks to show us her background as secret operative for the military.It moves very fast. Lots of action, blasts, fights,)Catherine does the car chase driving herself) kinks and turns. Who is after he and why? Catherine Bell is excellent as the ex-secret agent. She does most of the tricks and kicks herself. The dead and injured pile up like stove wood. The Last Man Standing (Close Quarters0 is written by team of Jolene Rice (Still Small Voices) and Adam Beason, Catherine's real life hubby. Excellent writing, acting and very great story. See again on June 11th. Do not miss this one