It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

It has been some time since we last saw Jack Bauer. The writer's strike saw him run out of tough things to say and a generally negative response to a weak season 6 has seen him leave America and travel the world. We join him in a non-existent African country where he is spending time with former brother in arms Carl, protecting children at the orphanage he has set up. It is not all helping and healing though as his past pursues him in the form of a subpoena from the US Government to face questioning on charges of prisoner abuse (damn these liberals). However, just as Jack packs up to leave the country and move on again, a coup begins and rebels come to snatch up the children to be soldiers. Meanwhile in the existing country of USA , the first female President is being sworn in while, in the background, figures are covertly supporting the coup for their own reasons.Everyone has been saying how long a wait it has been since day 6 finished, using words like "impatiently" etc but for me (as a viewer since hour 1) I felt that the break was a good thing. Day 6 was such a lacklustre season and played like an exaggerated pastiche of itself that the break does feel like an opportunity to send the makers away to sit in the corner and think about what they have done - and don't come back till you're sorry! With this bridging special I did worry that we would continue the trend of Jack being the hub of everything in the world, perhaps with the coup either being about him or with him preventing the entire thing - after all, the Bauer family are seemingly to blame for all evil deeds in the world. Fortunately the special harks back to the approach of season 1 and 2 which has dark deeds at a higher level and Jack thrown into them for reasons out of his hands, rather than being the creator and driver of all things.This takes the form of a simpler plot where Jack is looking after the fleeing children in their short run to safety. It starts slow though, with a good thirty minutes of establishing material and scene setting before any urgency kicks in. After this we have the usual 24 material of action sequences, heroic/sacrificial deaths, neo-conservative subtexts (although that suggests they are subtle, which they are not), political going-ons and shadowy men doing hits on behalf of powerful men. All these are in place and, with the stripped down plot and Bauer influence, it does feel a lot more like the 24 I like. This is not to say it is perfect of course, because 24 never was - even when really good there was always plenty to make fun of it for. Here we have less that produced laughter but we still get handed a terribly clumsy attack on the UN in the form of a weirdly "European" character who is cowardly - clinging to "talking" like a weak-wristed liberal. Not only was this poor writing but it is a bit rich when you consider the real life conflicts in Africa and the level of US intervention in them, however even ignoring that it was a typically conservative piece of politics from 24 that must be a bit like a wet dream to Fox viewers!Talking of real-life for a moment, I did find the setting and scenario of this special to be a little off-putting. The pace and "24-isms" of the film helped me keep my head in the world of fiction but there is no doubt that the world of child soldiers and African coups is a little too real to be purely entertainment and not have an edge of sorrow to it. The film mostly ignores the latter but it does manage to produce the former despite this, again by focusing on what the series does and just doing it. The cast are reasonable enough, all fitting into the classic clichés of the show. Sutherland is gruff and tough as ever and has a bit of chemistry with Carlyle, who doesn't have a lot to work with here other than hanging out with Sutherland for a bit. Bellows, Jones, Gunton, Feore and Voight all represent new faces in the usual characters. They do offer some hope though if Day 7 can keep the political mystery that this film had.24: Redemption isn't a significant change to the series and those that do not like the series will not like this. However for those who found Day 6 to be a massive disappointment then it does represent a sort of redemption as it appears to be taking a slight step back towards what hooked us originally. This means the usual weaknesses as much as the strengths but it is still a quite entertaining film for 24 fans.

A full length episode of 24, but does it work? Well, I can't help it, but this seems to be kind of rushed. The script and story aren't as good as it should be. I felt kind of bored watching this.Jack seems to be a bit "overpowered" and he seems to have a gift to dodge bullets. Okay I know this happens in a lot, but they kind of over do it here.I like the way that it is real time. Unlike in the series, it seems like it is possible to do all the things they do in the given time period. It doesn't feel the 24ish though, one of the most vital part of 24 CTU is not involved in the movie at all.With that said, it is not that bad. It seems like quite a nice start of the 7th season, and it is nice to get into more details about what has happened between the two seasons. They didn't max out the potential of the movie, the script and story was in my opinion a bit dull.But if you like the series and plan to follow the 7th season, be sure to check this one out.

"24:Redemption", two-hours long TV movie that premiered last night, is a "bridge" connecting the last season that ended 18 months ago and the new one which we, the fans of the show have been waiting impatiently and which is scheduled to open in January 2009. The film takes place in real time format, just like all episodes do. After watching it, I am exited about upcoming season and I hope that 24 - Season 7 will be more like season 1 than season 6. Judging by the movie, "24: Redemption", there are many reasons for hope. The film is exiting, gripping, it uses every one of its minutes effectively, and it is much more plausible with its plot and Jack's relations and intentions. It was a good idea to take Jack out of LA and place him in one of hot places on the planet, Sangala, the fictional country in Africa, with very real problems that look too familiar. Jack is back, and he is in great shape, still invincible, resourceful, the man of action who would not lose ability to think clearly and to make the right decision even when being brutally tortured. I am truly sorry that we may not see Robert Carlyle again - the chemistry between him and Sutherland was very real, and their last scene together moved me like not many scenes during all seasons did. But who knows, nothing is what it seems when it comes to 24. Jon Voight's presence promises a creepy dangerous villain, and if the writers of the series keep up with what they did for the movie, we are in for thrilling, entertaining, unforgettable 24 hours from the life of one very special Federal Agent, Jack Bauer.

24:Redemption does exactly what it says on the tin! The last season of 24 wasn't too great but this 2 hour special definitely redeems itself! If you loved the first few seasons, you will love this! Without giving too much away, Jack is in hiding from the US government and as he learns that he is requested to report to the US embassy to face his punishment, he decides it's time to move on! But.....just as he is about to leave he gets caught up in a civil war! If you are expecting a beautifully directed and written masterpiece, then you will be disappointed but if you are looking for the non-stop, cheesy, far-fetched action that the first few seasons gave us, then you will LOVE this! Matt