The film means well as an adventurous man-against-nature saga, but the story lacks compelling human elements. It's all so twisted that it's mind-boggling to think it was made by director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, A Perfect Murder). Clearly, Davis, who has a gift for complex action scenes, has allowed the picture to run too long. But a weird rhythm works its charms at times.

In terms of performances, Costner really does own this movie with the type of role that shows that he is getting better with age. The rest of the cast of secondary characters - both officers and recruits - rounds out much of the film: Clancy Brown, John Heard, Dule Hill, Neil McDonough. And watch out for Bonnie Bramlett, the blues-rock performer of the '60s who appears here as a mother-confessor bartender-saloon singer.

Technically, the film, with all its climactic rescue scenes, is well executed, but it's just not exciting, and attempting to give this story a deeper dimension is simply beyond its reach. By the end of it all, The Guardian proves to be more exhausting than anything else. - B.J.