End Game Information

End Game is a 2006 American action film written and directed by Andy Cheng, and starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Secret Service agent Alex Thomas, who is shot in the hand while unsuccessfully trying to protect the President (Jack Scalia) from an assassin's bullet. Later, with the help of a persistent newspaper reporter named Kate Crawford (Angie Harmon), he uncovers a vast conspiracy behind what initially appeared to be a lone gunman. The film co-stars James Woods, Burt Reynolds, and Anne Archer. This film was originally set to be shown in cinemas by MGM in 2005, but was delayed by the takeover from Sony and eventually sent direct-to-DVD.

Plot

The president is on his way to give a speech. While he is traveling there a man shows up with a camera. A reporter tries to ask a member of the secret service a question. When the president enters he is shot by the man with the camera. The president's main bodyguard, Alex Thomas (Cuba Gooding Jr.), is grazed by the bullet that hits the president. The shooter is gunned down by Alex and other secret service agents. The president dies at the hospital.

Kate Crawford (Angie Harmon), an investigative journalist, starts asking questions about the assassination. Anyone she questions is killed. She goes to Alex's house to tell him what is happening. As they head to his boat, Alex sees some men hiding in the bushes. He notices that his boat has a bomb aboard, and throws Kate into the water and dives in after her as the boat explodes. While the pair are underwater, the men move close and open fire on them. Alex jumps out of the water to kill two of the hitmen while a third hitman drives off to inform his boss what happened. They are able to link the hitmen to a man called Jack Baldwin (Peter Greene).

Agent Alex and other Secret Service members attack the location of Jack. Jack escapes but is later caught by Alex. Alex and Kate are suspicious of Vaughan Stevens (James Woods), Agent Alex's boss, who had previous links to Jack. While reviewing film of the assassination at his house, Alex discovers that Stevens handed the assassin a gun during the president's entrance. Alex leaves to find Stevens while Kate stays at his house.

When Alex arrives at Stevens' home he finds him dead. Before entering, Alex sees a car leaving the house. He then receives a call that Jack has escaped. Kate is attacked by Jack but Alex arrives and kills Jack. Alex arrives at the first lady's (Anne Archer) home to see the car that left Steven's house pulling away. Alex discovers that the First Lady wanted her husband killed because he was being unfaithful to her.

A few weeks later Kate and Alex have dinner. Alex decides that protecting the dead President's reputation is more important than implicating his widow, and tells Kate that he still does not know who wanted the President dead.

Cast

• Cuba Gooding Jr. as Alex Thomas
• Angie Harmon as Kate Crawford
• James Woods as Vaughn Stevens
• Patrick Fabian as Brian Martin
• Peter Greene as Jack Baldwin
• Jack Scalia as The President
• Anne Archer as The First Lady
• David Selby as Shakey Fuller
• Burt Reynolds as General Montgomery

Filming

Although set in Washington, D.C., End Game was actually filmed in Spokane as indicated by the end credits, and hinted at by the evergreen fir trees in the background in most outdoor scenes. The actual city of Washington appears only in aerial shots. Part of End Game was filmed on the campus of Gonzaga University.

Release

In the first week End Game opened at #20 at rentals chart and earned $1.18 million.