The Art of War II: Betrayal (2008) (V)

Director:

Josef Rusnak

Writers:

Jason Bourque (writer)
Keith Shaw (writer)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

He's Back... And He Wants Revenge

Plot:

Agent Neil Shaw is called out of retirement and finds himself in the midst of a plot to assassinate several leading Senators with himself set-up to take the rap for a recent killing.

Plot Keywords:

Betrayal | Corruption | Murder | Violence | Part Of Trilogy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Wesley Snipes	...	Neil Shaw
Lochlyn Munro	...	Garret
Athena Karkanis	...	Melina Cruz
Winston Rekert	...	Reverend Tim
Ryan Mcdonald	...	Alex
Rachel Hayward	...	Carlson
Scott Heindl	...	Graham
Michael Ryan	...	Senator Phillips
Olivia Cheng	...	Geena
Paul Bae	...	Stan
Clifford W. Stewart	...	Mom
Anna Mae Routledge	...	Tammy
Eric Brecker	...	Becker
Kenneth W. Yanko	...	General (as Kenneth Yanko)
Dean Redman	...	Team Leader
Michael Phenicie	...	Sallas
Beatrice Ilg	...	Michelle
Peter Kelamis	...	Director
Lisa Marie Caruk	...	Hallinger
Ray Galletti	...	Matt Sanders
Pascale Hutton	...	Autumn
Mark Docherty	...	News Reporter
Jill Morrison	...	Receptionist
Meshach Peters	...	Young Shaw
Alain Chanoine	...	Gangster #1
Dexter Bell	...	Gangster #2
Aaron Au	...	Gangster #3
Dan Shea	...	GQ Agent
Shawn Beaton	...	Assassin #1
Mike Desabrais	...	Assassin #2
Paul Wu	...	Assassin #3
Phillip Mitchell	...	Garrets Bodyguard #1 (as Phil Mitchell)
Dan Rizzuto	...	Guard #1
Brian Ho	...	Guard #2
Brett Armstrong	...	Guard #3
Todd Scott	...	Guard #4
Glenn Ennis	...	American GI #1
Clint Carleton	...	American GI #2
Gerald Paetz	...	Afghan Rebel #1
Scott J. Ateah	...	Afghan Rebel #2 (as Scott Ateah)
Dinoh Brazil	...	Afghan Sniper #1
Rob 'Sluggo' Boyce	...	Afghan Sniper #2 (as Rob Boyce)
Anthony Moyer	...	Agent #1
Fraser Aitcheson	...	Agent #2 / Beckers Agent #2 (as Frasier Aitcheson)
Rob Hayter	...	Beckers Agent #1
Lohd Bateman	...	Beckers Agent #3
Lars Grant	...	Beckers Agent #4
Darryl Quon	...	Phillips Guest #1 (as Daryl Quan)
Byron Briscoe	...	Phillips Guest #2 (as Bryan Brisko)
Todd Scott	...	Yacht Member #1
Trevor Jones	...	Yacht Member #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
WBBrown II	...	Agent
Rocky Anderson	...	Homeland Security Agent (uncredited)
Amy Esterle	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Craig Fraser	...	Secret Service Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Josef Rusnak

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jason Bourque		writer
Keith Shaw		writer

Produced by
Kim Arnott	....	executive producer
Oliver De Caigny	....	associate producer
Phillip B. Goldfine	....	executive producer
Dan Lyon	....	producer
Lindsay MacAdam	....	executive producer
Shannon McA'Nulty	....	co-producer
Ari Newman	....	executive producer
David C. Olson	....	associate producer
David Olson	....	associate producer
Mandy Spencer Phillips	....	line producer
Kirk Shaw	....	producer
Michael Sloan	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Peter Allen

Cinematography by
Neil Cervin

Film Editing by
Trevor Mirosh

Casting by
Judy Lee
Laura Toplass

Production Design by
Brian Davie

Art Direction by
Milena Zdravkovic

Set Decoration by
James Purvis		(as Jim Purvis)

Costume Design by
Vicky Mulholland

Makeup Department
Sarah Bergeest	....	makeup artist
Corey Hill	....	personal hair stylist
Joanne Kinchella	....	key makeup artist
Jennifer Kipps	....	hair swing
Jennifer Kipps	....	makeup swing
Rosemarie Maldonado	....	key hair stylist
Cyndi Reece-Thorne	....	personal makeup artist

Production Management
Mandy Spencer Phillips	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Crain	....	first assistant director
Catherine Kretz	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sean Carvajal	....	assistant property master
Moni El Batrik	....	assistant set decorator
Megan Poss	....	assistant art director
Megan Poss	....	set designer
Bruno Tempera	....	property master

Sound Department
Chester Biolowas	....	background effects editor
Hennie Britton	....	foley engineer
Derick Cobden	....	sound supervisor
Judah Getz	....	adr mixer
Matthew Gionet	....	sound supervisor
Nacime Goian	....	sound assistant
Michael Keeping	....	foley artist (as Michael P. Keeping)
Mario Loubert	....	sound effects editor
Chris Ove	....	adr recordist
Chris Ove	....	dialogue editor
Vince Renaud	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jo Rossi	....	re-recording engineer

Special Effects by
David Barkes	....	special effects coordinator
Colin Decker	....	special effects assistant
Joel McGowan	....	special effects first assistant

Visual Effects by
Mack Benz	....	visual effects producer
Stephen Cropo	....	digital compositor
Douglas Kerr	....	senior visual effects artist
Angus Laing	....	senior visual effects artist
Francois Latremoille	....	visual effects supervisor
Ryan Mackie	....	digital compositor
James McLeod	....	senior visual effects artist
Richard Mintak	....	visual effects supervisor
Jon Shaw	....	senior visual effects artist
Geoffrey Soga	....	lead dynamics artist
George Tsirogiannis	....	senior visual effects artist
Helen Tzoutis	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Loyd Bateman	....	stunts
Shawn Beaton	....	stunt actor
Terence Dament	....	stunt double
Ryan Ennis	....	stunt coordinator
Chuck Jeffreys	....	fight coordinator
Trevor Jones	....	stunt performer
Jeff Sanca	....	stunts
Rob Wilton	....	stunt performer
Keith Woulard	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Brittany D. Allan	....	grip
Sebastian Andexer	....	grip
Michael Barcelona	....	camera loader
Adam Bunz	....	grip
Virgile Dean	....	grip
Damien Giles	....	grip
Dwight Hartnett	....	second assistant camera
Cliff Hokanson	....	camera operator
John Holbrook	....	camera operator
David Hutton	....	key grip
Ariane Jonassen	....	first assistant camera
Steve Moore	....	camera operator
Barry Newton	....	first assistant camera
Krista Stumph	....	second assistant camera
Jason Tidsbury	....	light balloon technician
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Anya Gadison	....	extras casting assistant
L.A. Hilts	....	extras casting
Christine Kam	....	extras casting assistant
Elfie Pavlakovic	....	extras casting assistant
Edward D. Rea	....	casting assistant (as Edward Rea)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dana Campbell	....	personal costumer
Cathy Darby	....	costumer: prep
Janice Gardener	....	costumer: prep
Lisa Godel	....	truck costume supervisor
Shelley Cowan Lavell	....	assistant costume designer
Jennifer Mayby	....	personal costumer
Taryn Thumath	....	set costume supervisor
Olga Tsernova	....	tailor
Gloria Tsui	....	costumer: prep

Editorial Department
Colin Cooper	....	assistant editor
Carey Dickson	....	post-production assistant
Shelby Gilraine	....	post-production coordinator
Todd Giroux	....	supervising editor
Jason Koroluk	....	on-line assistant editor
Jesse Lyon	....	first assistant editor
Lorne Miess	....	colorist
Gary Porter	....	post-production coordinator
Alissa Roode	....	on-line editor
Randy Rudland	....	second assistant editor

Transportation Department
Eric Brown	....	driver: cast
John Carter	....	driver: special equipment
Brian Chilton	....	driver
Richard Chilton	....	transportation coordinator
Paul Deol	....	transportation captain
Attila Furlop	....	driver
Sean Johal	....	driver
Gary Lambert	....	driver
Sandy Lambert	....	driver
William Millar	....	driver
Stewart Purvis	....	driver
Darcey Robinson	....	driver: cast
Ryan Sangha	....	driver: special equipment
Taylor Sarai	....	driver
Charlie Schrodt	....	driver
Harry Sidhu	....	driver: hair/makeup trailer

Other crew
Luke Bradshaw	....	script supervisor: second unit
Amanda Coletsis	....	production assistant
Ian Doig	....	animal coordinator
Kasandra Greene-Griebel	....	production coordinator
Jason Koenig	....	production assistant
Grace MacLeod	....	animal trainer
W. Robert Millar	....	assistant location manager
Jerry Pender	....	first assistant production coordinator
Conrad Sylvia	....	production assistant
Lilian Umurungi	....	business affairs
Chrissie S. Vides	....	second production coordinator (as Chrissie S. Armstrong)
David Watt	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Hollywood Media Bridge
• Insight Film Studios
• Stage 6 Films

Distributors

• Stage 6 Films (2008) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2008) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• Exile VFX

Other Companies

• Airwaves Sound Design  sound post-production
• Exile VFX  visual effects
• Sony Pictures Stock Footage  stock footage

Also Known As:

L'art de la guerre II - Trahison (Canada: French title)
Operation Espionage (Canada: English title) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:R | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Japan:G

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Hollywood Media Bridge

Trivia:

The "L900 Battle Rifle" is in fact the M-950/Liberty III Pistol from Calico Weapon System.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the opening credits a gun is fired in a closeup. The muzzle fire is visible, but the gun never cocks back.

Movie Connections:

References The Godfather (1972)

Even sequels to better known films can't save Wesley now...

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Special Agent Neil Shaw (Wesley Snipes) is called out of retirement when his former mentor and close friend is found murdered. Seeking to catch those responsible, he hooks up with an old friend with his own personal agenda to go looking. But as he does, he finds himself framed and on the run for a political murder he did not commit and as he digs deeper into the truth, he finds he can trust no one in the shadowy world of espionage.

This sequel to the decent 2000 flick The Art of War, also starring Snipes, arrives out of nowhere straight onto the DVD market. Still rooted deep with the philosophies of the ancient Sun Ztu book the title is derived from (regarded as the best war strategy book ever written) lead star Snipes maintains his calm, zen persona he had in the original in favour of the wild, zany style he used for characters like Simon Phoenix in Demolition Man. Whether he's just matured or whether the material just doesn't excite him, he can't help but appear disinterested in the project. The tepid, overly complicated plot involving political conspiracies, arms deals and revenge motifs as well as an obviously low budget may be a sign of why. This may be a sequel to a theatrically released Snipes film, but beneath the surface, there's nothing to make it stand apart from all his other straight to DVD clunkers. **