For anyone wanting to avoid the horror stories of Hallowe'en this week, there is a hidden gem located among the spooksters, and that is 'The Guardian', a well directed, 'pull at the heart strings' type of movie that stays well clear of any unwanted witches, ghouls or monsters. Failing all other reasons, a trip to see Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher work effectively alongside each other should be as good a logic as any to pay a trip to the cinema!
The story is a realistic one for many, and certainly one, that come the end will make anyone watching appreciate the role of the emergency services, particularly those working at sea.
It follows legendary Rescue swimmer, Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) who after losing his crew in a fatal crash, is sent to teach at 'A' School, an elite training programme for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Wrestling with the loss of his crew members, he throws himself into teaching, turning the programme upside down with his effective, albeit unorthodox training methods. He is plagued throughout the course by the several horror flashbacks of losing his crew and while he is anxious to be back in the 'thick of things', he knows he is a long way from been ready to hit the ocean's deathly waves.
While there, he encounters a young, arrogant swim champ, Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), who is driven to be the best and excels in everything he does. During training, Randall helps mould Jake's character, combining his raw talent with the heart and dedication required of a Rescue Swimmer. In many respects Jake is a young Randall aspiring to be the best he can at all levels but there is something his likeable ego is disguising and later we discover, that he has his own personal demons to deal with. Throughout the course of the film, we watch and learn as these two main characters who, at first are at the brink of hating each other go on to develop a bond that will later test what one has taught and the other has learned at 'A' school.
The boot camp style training is entertaining to watch and shows how mentally, physically and emotionally equipped one has to be work in a team such as the Coast Guard or RNLI.
We also see from another angle how hard it is for partners and families to live with someone they know is risking their life on a daily basis. Randall himself has been 'married to his job' all his working life and in consequence is facing the divorce courts, albeit reluctantly on both his wife's and his own behalf. And, then there's the young Jake who despite finding love on a night out with his crew struggles to commit because he too knows what lies ahead.
Upon graduation, Jake follows Randall to Kodiak, Alaska, where they face the inherent dangers of the Bering Sea. We first encounter a challenging but basic rescue where the two pair up and are successful.
But in his initial solo rescue, Jake learns firsthand from Randall, the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice, echoing the Swimmer's motto 'So Others May Live.' The result subsequently is heartrenching, and for all who hate 'bad' endings, well, this part might just get you. That said, there is a final happy touch that gives hope to young love and indeed, to young rescue swimmers.
The Guardian movie emphasises the importance of training, the need for the rescue services, and the courage to survive.
