24: Redemption Starring Kiefer Sutherland

Jack is Caught in a Coup D'Etat Whilst in Africa

Sep 22, 2009

Jack Bauer has finally managed to find a level of peace working in a school in Africa, however, a coup threatens to claim the children unless he can get them to safety

Jack has fled the United States and has sought out an old friend living in Africa. Working as a missionary he has managed to find some peace, however, rebels are recruiting children to be trained as soldiers. The children in the school are to become the next recruits unless Jack can make it to the US Embassy with them.

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is working as a missionary at a school in Sangala run by his old friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle). US embassy official Frank Trammel (Gil Bellows) arrives on the scene and serves Jack a subpoena to appear before the Senate regarding charges of torture. Jack refuses to go. He then learns that the embassy will cut funding to Benton's school if he continues to protect Jack, so Jack decides to leave.

Meanwhile back in the United States the new President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) is about to be sworn in as America’s first female president. During Inauguration Day the son of the soon-to-be-president Roger Taylor (Eric Lively) is told of a conspiracy within the government by his friend Chris Whitley (Kris Lemche). After telling Roger of the danger Whitely is quickly murdered and the information corroborating his story is stolen.

Back in Africa Jack and Carl struggle to get the school’s children to the safety of the US Embassy after the school is attacked. Jack kills the leader of the rebels Youssou Dubaku (Zolile Nokwe) at the school. His brother, Iké Dubaku (Hakeem Kae-Kazim) hears of his death and plots revenge.

Film in Real Time

24: Redemption is a 2 hour made-for-TV movie that is done in the same formula as the series, it takes two hours and all of the events take place in real time. Redemption was made because of the writers’ strike that delayed Day 7 by over a year. Every previous season was given a short prequel a few months before the show aired intended to wet the audiences’ appetite. In this case Redemption serves as the main back story for Day 7 and whilst people would get the gist of what is happening in Sangala during that season it does help as a lot of Jack’s actions in this film influence the events in season 7.

Redemption was shot on location in Africa and the majority of the children in the film were local children who had never acted before, however, they do a fine job as the victims caught in the violent struggle.

Several characters from previous seasons of 24 reprise their roles during the scenes in Washington and Jon Voigt makes an appearance although his involvement with the president and the conspiracy are not revealed. Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) does not put in an appearance (the only time she has not featured since her introduction to the series at the beginning of Season 3)

Redemption bridges the gap between Day 6 and Day 7; it serves to introduce many of the new characters who will go on to be regular allies or enemies during the events of Season 7. As a prequel Redemption does what it is supposed to, it builds the excitement for the events of Day 7, and brings Jack back to the United States.

Not as good as the series, it is nevertheless a valuable addition to the storyline.

The copyright of the article 24: Redemption Starring Kiefer Sutherland in Made for TV Movies is owned by Christopher Sharman. Permission to republish 24: Redemption Starring Kiefer Sutherland in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.