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First Target

First Target is a 2000 American-Canadian made-for-television directed by Armand Mastroianni and written by Carey Hayes and Chad Hayes. It serves as the second installment in a trilogy of Secret Service-themed movies, following First Daughter (1999) and preceding First Shot (2002). Starring in the lead role as agent Alex McGregor, the film centers on an elaborate plot against the during a public event in . The story follows Alex McGregor, a dedicated Secret Service agent who leads an elite team in protecting President Jonathan Hayes (Gregory Harrison) from a conspiracy orchestrated by high-ranking officials, including the Vice President (Ken Camroux) and Senator Jack Hunter (Tom Butler). The plot unfolds during the inauguration of the Skytran, a new aerial tram system, where hired assassins Nina (Ona Grauer) and Evan Stahl (Aaron Grain) execute the scheme amid compromised security protocols. Supporting cast includes Doug Savant as agent Grant Coleman and Brandy Ledford in a key role, emphasizing themes of loyalty, betrayal, and high-stakes protection in the political thriller genre. Produced for broadcast on networks like TBS, the film highlights intense action sequences and the inner workings of presidential security. Released directly to television on October 15, 2000, First Target received mixed reviews for its suspenseful pacing and Hannah's performance, though some critics noted formulaic elements typical of the era's TV movies. With a runtime of approximately 93 minutes, it underscores the trilogy's focus on female-led Secret Service narratives, contributing to the genre's portrayal of roles during the early 2000s.

Background

Predecessor film

First Daughter is a 1999 made-for-TV action thriller directed by Armand Mastroianni and written by Chad Hayes and , starring as United States Secret Service agent Alex McGregor, who is tasked with protecting the 's daughter from domestic terrorists. In the film's key plot, McGregor defies protocol to thwart an assassination attempt on the president, leading to her reassignment to safeguard his teenage daughter, Jess Hayes (Monica Keena), during a wilderness rafting trip; the daughter is kidnapped by extremists, prompting McGregor to team up with river guide Grant Coleman () for the rescue. The story introduces President Jonathan Hayes, portrayed by , who reappears in the same role in the sequel. For First Target (2000), the lead role of Alex McGregor underwent a casting change, with Daryl Hannah replacing Mariel Hemingway. The production of First Daughter shares significant similarities with its sequel, including the same director, Armand Mastroianni, and screenwriters, Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes, which helped establish the franchise's tone of high-stakes Secret Service operations intertwined with political threats.

Development

Following the success of the 1999 TBS television film First Daughter, which became the highest-rated original movie in basic cable history, a sequel titled First Target was developed to expand the Secret Service thriller series. The project aimed to continue the narrative involving President Jonathan Hayes while heightening the tension through a direct threat to the president himself. Development occurred in 1999–2000, building on the original's popularity to create a franchise of made-for-television action thrillers. The screenplay for First Target was written by brothers Carey Hayes and Chad Hayes, who crafted a story centered on an elaborate attempt during a high-profile public event in , such as the opening of a new mountain transport system, to escalate the stakes beyond the personal protection theme of the predecessor. This plot shift emphasized broader risks, incorporating intense training sequences for team and a conspiracy involving powerful figures. The film was co-produced by Columbia TriStar International Television, Lions Gate Television, Mandalay Television, and KirchMedia as an American-Canadian collaboration, leveraging British Columbia's production services tax credits for cost efficiency during pre-production planning. Key creative decisions included recasting the lead role of agent Alex McGregor with to inject star power into the sequel, departing from Mariel Hemingway's portrayal in First Daughter. This change allowed for a fresh interpretation of the character while retaining core elements like the president's protection details.

Production

Casting

Daryl Hannah was cast in the lead role of agent Alex McGregor, succeeding from the predecessor film First Daughter (1999). Supporting roles were filled by as Grant Coleman, Alex's fiancé and fellow agent; , who reprised his portrayal of President Jonathan Hayes; as agent Kelsey Innes; and Peter Flemming as the loyal aide Stewart McCall. The antagonists included as the seductive assassin Nina Stahl, Tom Butler as the conspirator Senator J.P. Hunter, and Aaron Grain as Nina's hacker brother Evan Stahl. Many supporting roles were filled by Canadian actors such as Flemming, Ledford, Grauer, Butler, and Grain, reflecting the film's American-Canadian co-production structure.

Filming

for First Target occurred in , , , during 2000. The production chose for its favorable tax incentives, including an 11 percent production services available to foreign filmmakers at the time, as well as the city's versatile mix of urban and rural environments that could double for various settings. The film was directed by Armand Mastroianni, with by Thomas Burstyn. was handled by Peter V. White. First Target has a runtime of 100 minutes, and was finalized ahead of its 2000 television release.

Plot and cast

Plot summary

The film opens with agent Alex McGregor undergoing intense training exercises as the head of the presidential detail, balancing her professional duties with her personal life; she is now engaged to wilderness guide Grant Coleman, while overseeing the protection of President Jonathan Hayes. This setup continues the character arcs from the predecessor film First Daughter. Unbeknownst to the team, a unfolds led by the and Senator Jack 'J.P.' Hunter, who seek to assassinate Hayes during the ribbon-cutting for the innovative , a high-tech aerial transport system, to seize power. They have enlisted professional assassin Nina Stahl and her tech-savvy brother , a skilled , to execute the plan, leveraging their expertise in infiltration and . As the presidential entourage arrives in , Alex begins to notice irregularities, including the suspicious death of a agent that hints at internal betrayal; she uncovers evidence of compromised members aiding the plot from within. This leads to a series of tense pursuits and direct confrontations, with Nina targeting key figures and disrupting security systems to create chaos during the public event. In the climax, races against time aboard the as it ascends into the mountains, engaging in a fierce showdown with and exposing Hunter's involvement through intercepted communications and eyewitness accounts from . She ultimately thwarts the , neutralizing the threats, apprehending the traitors, and ensuring the President's safety, solidifying her role as a pivotal defender.

Cast

The principal cast of First Target features the following actors in key roles:

Release

Television premiere

First Target premiered on television in the United States on October 15, 2000, airing as a Sunday night movie event on Superstation at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. PT). The film, a Canadian-American co-production, was positioned as a made-for-TV sequel to the 1999 movie First Daughter. Promotion for the premiere emphasized the star power of lead actress as Secret Service agent Alex McGregor, alongside co-stars and , while highlighting the high-stakes plot against the . Trailers and promotional materials targeted fans of action-s, describing it as a "gripping about an attempt" that builds on the protective intrigue of its predecessor. The broadcast occurred in a slot to capitalize on weekend viewership for original content. The movie received a TV-14 rating due to violence, making it suitable for viewers aged 14 and older but with parental guidance recommended for younger audiences. Its runtime was 93 minutes, though the full airing including commercials extended the presentation accordingly.

Home media

Following its television premiere, First Target was released on home video formats to capitalize on the film's initial broadcast success. The VHS edition was issued in 2001 by Columbia TriStar Home Video, providing a straightforward tape of the 93-minute feature without additional extras. The DVD version followed in 2000, distributed by the same studio, and included basic supplemental materials such as trailers but omitted or content. By 2025, the film had transitioned to digital platforms, becoming available for streaming on services like and , with overseeing some international digital distributions. Internationally, a Canadian edition was released in 2001, while a limited European run was handled through KirchMedia in select markets. Additional video premieres occurred in on May 17, 2001, and on June 21, 2001. Due to its out-of-print status by 2025, physical copies of First Target have become collectible, with used and DVD editions typically averaging $5–10 on secondary markets like .

Reception

Critical reviews

First Target received mixed critical reception, with a 43% approval rating on based on four reviews as of 2025. The aggregate score reflects common criticisms of the film's formulaic and predictable twists, balanced by praise for its action sequences. In a positive , Dove.org commended Armand Mastroianni for the taut pacing, describing the film as an "effective action " that realistically portrays the lengths to which goes to protect the . The reception was comparable to that of its predecessor First Daughter (1999), which holds a 47% Tomatometer score from 14 reviews.

Audience response

The audience response to First Target has been generally mixed but appreciative among fans of low-budget thrillers, reflected in its rating of 5.2/10 based on 757 user ratings as of November 2025. Viewers often describe it as a "solid B-movie suitable for easy, undemanding viewing, with particular enjoyment derived from its straightforward entertainment value. Common praises highlight the film's entertaining chase sequences and the light romance subplot between Secret Service agent Alex McGregor and her colleague Grant Coleman, which adds a touch of personal stakes amid the high-tension plot. In a 2024 retrospective, the Girls With Guns blog noted that First Target feels "a bit more solid than the original" (First Daughter), crediting its improved plotting where characters make smarter decisions and the threat feels more genuine. Criticisms frequently center on the story's predictability and thin character development, with some users pointing out clichéd elements in the that fail to surprise. Many reviews acknowledge it as "nothing spectacular" in terms of depth or , though still fun for enthusiasts of 1990s-style thrillers. The film maintains popularity among action enthusiasts, particularly with its availability on free platforms like and .

Legacy

Career impacts

Daryl Hannah's portrayal of Secret Service agent Alex McGregor in First Target caught the attention of director Quentin Tarantino, who was watching television at home and saw her performance as the head of the Secret Service. This led Tarantino to cast her as the villainous Elle Driver in Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Volume 2 (2004), a role that revitalized her career in action cinema following a period of less prominent projects after her 1980s successes. Director Armand Mastroianni, who helmed First Target, further established his reputation in the genre of made-for-television s with the film's sequel, First Shot (2002), which continued the Alex McGregor storyline but starred in the lead role. This project solidified Mastroianni's niche in directing suspenseful TV movies and for networks like Lifetime and RHI Entertainment, leading to subsequent works such as the Pandemic (2007) and the crime drama The Craigslist Killer (2011). The film's writers, brothers Carey Hayes and Chad Hayes, built momentum from scripting First Target by penning its sequels in the Alex McGregor series, including First Shot (2002), which demonstrated their skill in crafting high-stakes political thrillers. This success opened doors to larger-scale projects, such as the screenplay for House of Wax (2005), a that grossed over $68 million worldwide, and later (2013), which launched a major franchise and earned critical acclaim for its supernatural storytelling. Among the supporting cast, Doug Savant's role as adventure guide Grant Coleman in First Target contributed to his steady presence in television during the early , paving the way for his prominent recurring role as on the hit series starting in 2004, where he appeared in over 150 episodes until 2012. Similarly, Gregory Harrison's depiction of President reinforced his in authoritative political roles within TV movies, as he reprised the character in the direct sequel First Shot (2002), continuing a pattern seen in the series' predecessor First Daughter (1999).

Cultural and franchise legacy

"First Target" formed the second installment in an informal of made-for-television action thrillers featuring agent Alex McGregor, following First Daughter (1999) and preceding First Shot (2002). The series concluded after First Shot with no further sequels, attributable to the modest critical and audience reception across the entries, including First Target's 5.1/10 average rating on from 756 user votes and 43% Tomatometer score on based on four reviews. Despite limited commercial success, the films collectively established a template for low-budget TV movies centered on operations amid political conspiracies, blending action sequences with themes of presidential protection. As a product of the early 2000s made-for-TV action genre, First Target contributed to the era's proliferation of thrillers exploring intrigue and plots, elements that resonated in contemporaneous programming like the real-time of , which debuted in 2001. The film's production in Vancouver, British Columbia, capitalized on Canada's emerging role as "," where tax incentives and infrastructure attracted numerous American TV projects, thereby supporting local employment and economic growth in the film sector during the late 1990s and early 2000s. In recent years, First Target has garnered retrospective attention in film discussions as an underrated within the Y2K-era TV thriller landscape, appreciated for its straightforward action and ensemble dynamics despite its formulaic plot. Its ongoing availability on free ad-supported streaming services such as and ensures accessibility for contemporary viewers exploring nostalgic early-2000s made-for-TV content. This preservation highlights the film's niche endurance amid shifting audience preferences toward serialized political dramas.

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