A bird-lover turns detective in this film, whose ridiculous premise is matched by its clumsy execution. Shy museum worker Rachel Sutherland (Natasha Henstridge) has only her pet falcon, a Caracara, for company. Then fake cops persuade her to let them use her New York City apartment for surveillance related to a Mafia case. Dashing "detective" David Mc Millan (Johnathon Schaech) joins the team, and Rachel's hopes for romance soar. Sadly, David isn't Mr. Right — he's Mr. Political Assassin, who's been hired to kill Nelson Mandela and his cabinet during a visit to the United States! Rachel thwarts the assassination by knocking over her Caracara's cage and spoiling David's aim. But David is determined to finish the job, and is working with both a bent state department official and a traitor within Mandela's ranks. Can Rachel, the only living soul who can identify David, thwart his mission? A better question might be, why cast the gorgeous Natasha Henstridge in a mousy role like this one? Craig Smith III's screenplay is forever drifting into uninteresting detours like Rachel's squabbles with her mother, much to the detriment of whatever suspense the assassination plot might be generating. Though the film features cliches borrowed from half a dozen genres, they don't add up to anyhing much. --Robert Pardi
