National Security (film)

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National Security
Poster for the movie National Security.
Directed by	Dennis Dugan
Produced by	Moritz Borman, Martin Lawrence, Peaches Davis, Nigel Sinclair, Jeff Kwatinetz
Written by	Jay Scherick, David Ronn
Starring	Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn
Music by	Randy Edelman
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	January 17, 2003
Running time	88 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

National Security (2003) is a comedy film starring Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. The film was directed by Dennis Dugan who has directed other films as well as many television shows. In addition to Lawrence and Zahn, National Security boasts an additional cast of Bill Duke, Eric Roberts, Colm Feore, Matt McCoy, and others.

The film was released in January 2003 and went on to gross over thirty-five million dollars at the box office. It is one of Lawrence's poorest performing films to date. It has made millions more in rentals in the United States.

The film was shot at various locations in California. The locations include Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Santa Clarita.

1 Plot
2 Taglines
3 Facts and trivia
4 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Earl Montgomery (Lawrence) and Hank Rafferty (Zahn) have only one thing in common, they're both LAPD rejects. Earl, who's touchy on racial matters, can't get on the force on a count of his crazy antics and Hank was thrown off the force, thanks to Earl. The two confronted each other on opposite sides of the law during a traffic stop that escalates out of control. Earl was reaching into his Camaro through a partially opened window to unlock it (he left the keys in the ignition). Hank thought Earl was trying to steal the car and tries to arrest him. Earl resists arrest, so Hank must pin him against the car. Earl then panics when he sees a bee, because he's allergic. He tells this to Hank who tries to swat it with his baton, but instead causes damage to Earl's Camaro. A couple videotaped the two, making it look like Hank beat Earl. It's made even worse by the fact Earl was stung and his face swelled up. Earl, who's lying to everyone, presses charge against Hank who no one believes about the bee. Hank is convicted and sentenced to a six-month prison term, that he spends in solitary confinement at his decision. When released, Hank gets a job as a security guard. He decides to try and find out who murdered his partner (Timothy Busfield) and heads to the beverage warehouse where it occurred. A major illegal shipment is in progress when Hank arrives and Earl, who works there, is hitting on a stripper in the office. A shootout occurs and Earl and Hank are reunited. They reluctantly team up, then to uncover a sophisticated smuggling operation led by Nash (Roberts) and his band of thugs. Then, Earl and Hank get their hands on some hot property. The property looks like ordinary beer kegs, but the guys learn the kegs are made of aerospace alloy, that's been stolen. Earl and Hank go on the run from, first the bad guys, then the LAPD, led by Lt. Washington (Duke) and Detective McDuff (Feore). The guys are wanted for a shootout on a bridge that occurred between them and Nash. Hank doesn't get how the LAPD knew about it, considering the bad guys would not call in it. Earl suggests dirty cops. Our heroes continue their investigation. Let's hope they don't kill each other.

[edit] Taglines

They only look like cops.
He only looks like a cop.
This January, a buddy comedy without the buddies.

[edit] Facts and trivia

More than 400,000 bottles of soft drinks and beer were used as background scenery, during the shootout in the warehouse.
The DVD has an alternate ending.