Despite its startling and flammable premise, Gabriel Range's Death of a President (2006) is an oddly linear and straightforward film. This faux documentary---supposedly broadcast a year after the event takes place---recounts the assassination of George W. Bush on October 19, 2007, as the "War on Terror" rages on. Utilizing existing footage of selected Presidential public appearances, press interviews and real-life war protests, it constructs the fictional event with startling realism. Actors portraying Presidential aides and Secret Service members bookend the "filmed" segments, sharing retrospective accounts of their specific roles during the day's unfortunate events.

"Only In America". Even though Death of a President is technically a British film.

The story, of course, is entirely plausible, but one can't help but balk at the filmmakers' attempts to bring such a story to the big screen. An understandably massive public backlash followed the film's limited theatrical release: several major film chains refused to screen it, while CNN and NPR refused to air promotional advertisements. Those who hadn't seen the film were perhaps its biggest critics, translating the suggestive story as a blatant attack on the Bush administration. To them, it was simply the celluloid fantasy of those who oppose everything the President stands for.

In all honesty, Death of a President has no such agenda. It doesn't choose sides or demonize any particular party; it simply displays the fictional events as they supposedly happened. To be fair, the first act is very impressive, building a solid amount of tension through clever visual tricks and dramatic pauses. Such tightly-wound focus falls apart as Death of a President lumbers on, turning this provocative "what if?" scenario into an oddly disjointed murder mystery. The would-be assassin, a man of Syrian descent convicted by vague forensic evidence, is even suggested to be innocent as a third party slowly emerges from the shadows. Such an approach may work on 24, but it's completely out of place in this context.

Regardless of its glaring faults, however, Death of a President is interesting enough to warrant a closer look. The performances of the quasi-Presidential aides and Secret Service members are uniformly excellent, while the film's realistic atmosphere is nearly airtight from start to finish. For this reason, Death of a President should be appreciated more on a technical level than anything else; it certainly sets up an interesting premise, but can't quite hold up as a genuine political statement. In any case, Range's film is a polarizing project in every sense of the word. Treat it accordingly.

The one-disc DVD package from Lionsgate is slightly imbalanced, though it manages to carry most of the weight just fine. The technical presentation is undoubtedly this release's highlight, as the seamless atmosphere has been carefully preserved to maintain the illusion; unfortunately, those expecting a layered assortment of extras will be disappointed.

Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for widescreen displays, the best compliment that can be given to Death of a President is that it looks seamless. The actual news-related clips have been blended well with the fictional footage and subtle CGI effects, creating the illusion needed to sell the story. Obviously, some of the source material suffers a bit, but it doesn't distract from the viewing experience; otherwise, no glaring digital problems were on display.

The audio presentation is slightly more grounded, but also gets the job done. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix once again blends the fiction and non-fictional elements seamlessly, punching up certain sequences with atmospheric touches and musical cues. For the most part, though, this dialogue-driven film plays is straight, but it certainly doesn't disappoint. Optional English and Spanish subtitles, as well as Closed Caption support, have been included during the main feature.

Also here is a collection of additional Interviews with Range, Finch and Thumim (18:29, presented in anamorphic widescreen), though they cover all-too-familiar ground by repeating much of what was said during the audio commentaries. It's good to hear plenty of direct input, but why not devote some time to the film's real saving grace: the clever editing and visual illusions that helped to glue the film together? The lack of coverage here is simply disappointing.

Closing things out is the film's Theatrical Trailer (0:59); though it's also presented in widescreen, it hasn't been anamorphically enhanced. As mentioned above, no optional subtitles are included during the bonus features.

Though it boasts a carefully constructed atmosphere and a provocative premise, Death of a President proves to be nothing more than a half-baked murder mystery. With that said, the performances are spirited and the technical execution is nearly flawless, helping to elevate the surprisingly linear film to more watchable heights. Sides aren't chosen as sharply as some might think; instead, Death of a President plays it safe in the middle ground...which is exactly why it won't hold up to repeat viewings. The DVD package from Lionsgate excels in the technical department, but the extras are fairly repetitive and one-dimensional. Still, there's certainly enough here to give Death of a President a weekend look. Rent It.