Roger Donaldson’s “No Way Out,” released in 1987, is a political drama/thriller featuring Kevin Costner as a Navy Lieutenant Commander who finds himself entangled in a cover-up after a tragedy while involved with a woman whose character is questionable (Sean Young). Gene Hackman portrays his superior at the Pentagon, the Secretary of Defense, and Will Patton plays that same Secretary’s dependable assistant. This adaptation of 1948's “The Big Clock” effectively utilizes Washington DC and its environs—like Arlington—with pleasant aerial shots marking the beginning and end. The Pentagon serves as a central location, with much of the story unfolding within its walls. There's an unexpected twist in the narrative that warrants careful attention. Roger Ebert’s assessment of this film in 1987 was overly generous; he gave it a flawless score. While the initial portion establishes a strong foundation, the latter half is just passable and occasionally feels like something produced for television, bordering on being unprofessional (you'll understand when you see it). A particular image that slowly appears on a computer screen seems oddly old-fashioned, and the music of the era doesn’t improve matters. Despite these shortcomings, “No Way Out” has enough merit to be worth watching if the premise interests you. Although Hackman feels underutilized in a role primarily requiring him to appear worried, Patton delivers an enthusiastic performance that compensates; Costner and Young do as well. The film's length is 1 hour, 54 minutes, and filming took place in DC, Virginia (Arlington & Alexandria), Maryland (Annapolis), and the Toronto airport. Kenneth Fearing wrote the original novel, and Robert Garland penned the screenplay. GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB