review for A Line in the Sand on AllMovie

This is how a spy movie should work. More coherent than Ludlum, better paced than LeCarre, more realistic than Clancy, A Line in the Sand is based on the novel by Gerald Seymour and the film successfully transfers the elegant literary devices of its best-selling source. Espionage clichés are eschewed, replaced by suffocating reality as Gavin Hughes' dangerous past catches up to him. The reaction of the villagers to the influx of armored protection is particularly poignant and comes about completely naturally. Ross Kemp plays the reluctant hero with a bit of a Bob Hoskins approach, and it works wonderfully as he elicits sympathy with each new development. The rest of the cast is top-notch as well. There is never a dull moment in the drama as each scene relies on the next to ratchet the tension. The tragic ending won't be for all tastes, but it feels real, sadly enough.