The secret agent who saved President Ronald Regan's life in 1981 has slammed Michael Douglas for his portrayal of him in The Sentinel.

Tim McCarthy, who took a bullet for the former President in the early 80s, is outraged at Douglas' character, who is depicted as a liar and a cheat.

Douglas plays Secret Service agent Pete Garrison, but has an affair with the president's wife after saving him from an assasination attempt.

McCarthy told Page Six: "It's outrageous and I don't plan on wasting $8 or $10 to see it. My daughter saw it and she was upset by it. She said there is no question it's me. My wife is also upset by it. When it hits that close to home, you can't be pleased."

One of the film's screenwriters, George J. Nolfi has hit back however, saying that Douglas' role is not based on any real-life people: "The entire second half of the movie is completely invented and the characters were largely transformed or invented."