IMDb > The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
The Manchurian Candidate
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The Manchurian Candidate (2004) More at IMDbPro »

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The Manchurian Candidate (2004) -- In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.
The Manchurian Candidate (2004) -- In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.
The Manchurian Candidate (2004) -- In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.
The Manchurian Candidate (2004) -- Theatrical Preview
The Manchurian Candidate (2004) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   33,558 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jonathan Demme
Writers (WGA):
Richard Condon (novel)
George Axelrod (1962 screenplay)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Manchurian Candidate on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 July 2004 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Mystery | Thriller more
Tagline:
This summer everything is under control.
Plot:
In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(30 articles)
Dog Ears Music: Volume Ninety-Seven
 (From Huffington Post. 6 November 2009, 9:28 AM, PST)

Shouting Match: Best Horror Film of the Decade
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 31 August 2009, 8:19 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Nice Running-Mate to the Original "Candidate" more (345 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jeffrey Wright ... Al Melvin

Pablo Schreiber ... Eddie Ingram
Anthony Mackie ... Robert Baker

Dorian Missick ... Owens

Jose Pablo Cantillo ... Villalobos

Teddy Dunn ... Wilson
Joaquin Perez-Campbell ... Atkins
Tim Artz ... Jameson

Denzel Washington ... Ben Marco
Robyn Hitchcock ... Laurent Tokar

Liev Schreiber ... Raymond Shaw
Antoine Taylor ... Boy Scout #1
Joseph Alessi ... Boy Scout #2
Raymond Anthony Thomas ... Scout Dad (as Ray Anthony Thomas)
Bill Irwin ... Scoutmaster
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for violence and some language.
Runtime:
USA:129 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Colour:
Colour
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The marching band shown in a few parts of the movie is the East Ramapo Marching Band from New York. more
Goofs:
Plot holes: Apparently, FBI undercover agents are not wired remotely. Instead they carry dictaphones, mark up the tapes clearly with the target's name, then keep them in their handbags, which they leave lying around while they sleep. more
Quotes:
Delp: I thought you said you lost this.
Ben Marco: I bit a guy. I found another one.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2005) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Battle Hymn of the Republic more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
48 out of 89 people found the following comment useful.
Nice Running-Mate to the Original "Candidate", 2 January 2005
7/10
Author: Placemat from Berkeley, CA

After achieving only so-so results in reworking an old classic with the timid "The Truth About Charlie," director Jonathan Demme confidently updates "The Manchurian Candidate." Here he prevents the viewer from being distracted into keeping active count of the differences between his film and the original; the viewer can relax and watch an "original" film from the beginning. Demme immediately establishes his own distinctive approach: Bring characterization to the foreground. The original was compelling mainly due to its novel and intricate plot, but the acting was no-frills. Demme and his actors -- Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber (and even minor players like Jeffrey Wright) -- create characters that are fleshed-out and human. They are far from the chess pieces of the original and thus better draw us into the film, offering the viewer an emotional entry point and a rooting human interest from beginning to end. While not superior to the original -- conspiracies in of themselves simply have lost their ability to shock these days -- the new "Candidate" achieves its own success by being a rare thriller: one that is emotionally moving.

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Denzel's pinkie finger on his right hand lilbakery
my take on the ending ad_man_adam
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Am I the only one who felt this way? sameer_panje
Military presence in NY lynnviv-1
OMFG!! WHY!!! WHY!!! WHY!!! WHY HER!!! StreeplyFantastic93
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