MovieChat Forums > The Sentinel (2006) Discussion > Polygraphs

Polygraphs

posted 15 years ago by There_Is_No_Sayid
4 replies | jump to latest

Would the secret service REALLY go so hard after a respected senior agent based solely on failing a polygraph? And he failed on the "did you violate secret service protocol" section which could mean something innocuous like "I took a leak on the lawn while I was walking patrol" or "I was staring at some crowd members cleavage instead of watching the rooftops." I mean these things are notoriously prone to false positives. Any number of ordinary conditions, even anxiety about taking the test, can cause someone to register a false answer when they're really telling the truth.

"Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything."

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] McQueen1980 14 years ago

in fairness they didnt go for him straight after the polygraph "as he saved reagan" but waited for further evidence

"He's in town with a few days to kill"

[–] bigandybowers 12 years ago

I find it hard to believe the importance that the CIA in this movie gave to the pass/failure of the polygraph. In real life they would know that the lie detector is *beep* and is only useful as an intimidation tool for the gullible fools who they inflict it on (in other words it can be useful for extracting confessions so long as the testees buy into it).

In this movie they were acting as if so much hinged on the outcome of the general test, without any further interrogation. It felt a little like I was watching either a)a sci-fi film or b) a movie with really stupid CIA operatives.

[–] AssetsonFire 10 years ago

It would also have been advisable for them to double check that all agents had taken the test in the first place, rather than just realising their booboo at the 11th hour.

~.~
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