The President of the United States is generally prohibited from driving due to security concerns, but sometimes you’ve got to take matters into your own hands.
That’s exactly what happens in the trailer for the upcoming action flick “The Beast,” which stars Samuel L. Jackson as a foul-mouthed head of state.
The film was directed by action movie legend Renny Harlin and also stars Joel Kinnaman as a Secret Service agent who apparently ends up alone with the president in his limousine as it comes under attack in Spain.
The trailer depicts the vehicle being bombarded by all types of weapons and assailants climbing on top and inside of it while Jackson drives. At one point a pair of remote-operated miniguns emerge from the trunk and start mowing down bad guys alongside the road.
The real Cadillac-style vehicle nicknamed The Beast is based on a truck chassis and heavily armored, although its exact specifications and equipment are a closely-held state secret. It is not known to have built-in guns, but is understood to be equipped with a small armory, protection against IEDs and a sealed air system that can keep chemical and biological weapons from seeping into the cabin. General Motors led its development through an initial $15.8 million contract, but several of the vehicles have been built and that price included some ongoing service costs. The car in the film does not wear Cadillac branding and General Motors has not said if it was involved in the production, which primarily took place in Madrid and the Canary Islands.
Harlin’s most recent hits are the three “The Strangers” films, but he’s best known for his 1990s hits “Die Hard 2,” “Cliffhanger,” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” the last of which starred Jackson alongside Geena Davis. “The Beast” is scheduled to premiere in theaters on October 9.
