The Bodyguard

There is no archetype so wooden or narrative so predictable that it can't be improved upon by a sense of style. But director Mick Jackson merely moves the pieces in a static and linear way toward a stalemate.

Just about everything that can go wrong with this film does, and yet it's compulsively watchable. (So is a train wreck.)

With a soap-opera plot that triggers alarms of incredulity, The Bodyguard remains no more than a serviceable thriller.

While this tepid thriller is a showcase for Houston in her film debut, it is the downfall of co-star Kevin Costner in the title role.

Houston's face, as she loses herself in the melody out there on a quiet porch in the woods, is a reminder of all she gave to this role, and this movie - and why it's always worth rewatching.