Law Abiding Citizen (C- or 1.5/4 stars)
I like me a good 'ole revenge thriller any day. I can still remember watching the Charles Bronson Death Wish films when I was a kid. Shh, don't tell anyone. So when 'Law Abiding Citizen', directed by F. Gary Gray, surfaced, I hoped it would be another fun, gritty, gory, somewhat-intelligent revenge flick. Well, sorry to say, what starts out as promising dissolves into uninvolving preposterousness by the end. The plot: Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler, of 300 fame) is a gifted planner/inventor, & a seemingly upstanding family man. But one fateful night, 2 robbers invade his peaceful Philadelphia home, knock him down with a bat, & brutally kill his wife & daughter; quite the opening scene. The killers are caught, & hot shot prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) is assigned to the case.
Nick is forced by the DA to offer one of the 2 suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice for a lengthy plea bargain prison sentence. Clyde isn't happy with this, but Nick says that the deal is done (knowing that it also preserves his nifty 96% conviction rate). 10 yrs. later, the man who got away with murder is found brutally murdered (completely dismembered), & Clyde Shelton "sort of" admits his guilt; not enough to convict him (Clyde tries to prove a point that 1 of the 2 killers of his family got away with murder because there wasn't enough "evidence" for a conviction). Clyde then issues Nick a stiff warning: fix the flawed justice system which dishonored his dead wife & daughter, or everyone connected to this 10 yr. old case will die.
Having had 10 yrs. to concoct an elaborate plan, Clyde starts following through on his threats; orchestrating from his solitary jail cell, a sociopathic string of high-profile, diabolical killings that are virtually impossible to predict, trace, or prevent. Philadelphia's population is terrified. The authorities find themselves powerless. And only Nick can stop the killing (of course, or else there wouldn't be a movie). But can he? How will he try to outsmart this cunning, brilliant maniac? Will he be able to save his own family (as they are fixed in Clyde's master web)? Is it possible for this once everyday guy to have turned into such a vengeful murderer? And just how has Clyde been able to activate his reign of terror from inside his jail cell?
The premise of 'Law Abiding Citizen' is inherently interesting. It's also familiar. But familiar can be good when executed well. I mean, who doesn't love the "angry husband/father seeks revenge on the justice system when the murderer gets off with a light sentence" story? I fairly enjoyed the 1st half of the film where we're rooting - heavily - for Clyde as he satisfactorily takes down his initial victims. His first death, in particular, is not only gruesome, but well deserved. I also didn't mind an ingenious killing of one particular female. There's a gritty, visceral quality to the 1st half of the film that, while not groundbreaking, is fun to watch. But things go downhill once we start to know 'who' Clyde Shelton really is, how unbelievably absurd his elaborate plan is, & how the authorities react (or don't).
The script starts out well, creating tension & intrigue. But like I said, when 'LAC' tries to get 'thought-provoking' it really starts to unravel, & become uninvolving. What occurs in the final 30-45 minutes is so irrational, implausible, & nutty, that it took me out of the already only-decent plot (like the DA getting involved in police chases, etc.). And the climax is stupid, as well. As far as the acting goes, Foxx is kind of boring, here. And Gerard Butler is kick-ass for a while. But neither of these guys put their best foot forward. I also didn't like when Clyde starts making some idiotic mistakes near the end. He's concocted this incredibly convoluted plan. He's executed it flawlessly. And then he starts making mistakes. It reminded me of that movie Fracture; where Anthony Hopkins' character (a genius) makes a crucial mistake - hence, without that plot machination, no movie would have been made in the 1st place.
And, perhaps, the worst aspect of the film is the TONAL change that occurs. We initially cheer on Clyde. But he becomes a terrorist. And we initially don't like Nick (Foxx) very much. But we're supposed to be on his side by the end. The intention may have been to show the good & bad inside of both men. But the way the script unfolds, it's virtually impossible to like Clyde after all he's done. And neither is it possible for you to side with Foxx's character (after his 'villainization' early on - a man who has no time for his family, & accepted that plea bargain deal for the other killer). So this a lose-lose situation. I still sit unclear as to who I was supposed to 'feel' for. Overall, I enjoyed some things. But when the Death Wish feel wore off, 'LAC' became sloppy, & extremely disappointing. The trailer promises (like most movies) a better movie than we get.
Nick is forced by the DA to offer one of the 2 suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice for a lengthy plea bargain prison sentence. Clyde isn't happy with this, but Nick says that the deal is done (knowing that it also preserves his nifty 96% conviction rate). 10 yrs. later, the man who got away with murder is found brutally murdered (completely dismembered), & Clyde Shelton "sort of" admits his guilt; not enough to convict him (Clyde tries to prove a point that 1 of the 2 killers of his family got away with murder because there wasn't enough "evidence" for a conviction). Clyde then issues Nick a stiff warning: fix the flawed justice system which dishonored his dead wife & daughter, or everyone connected to this 10 yr. old case will die.
Having had 10 yrs. to concoct an elaborate plan, Clyde starts following through on his threats; orchestrating from his solitary jail cell, a sociopathic string of high-profile, diabolical killings that are virtually impossible to predict, trace, or prevent. Philadelphia's population is terrified. The authorities find themselves powerless. And only Nick can stop the killing (of course, or else there wouldn't be a movie). But can he? How will he try to outsmart this cunning, brilliant maniac? Will he be able to save his own family (as they are fixed in Clyde's master web)? Is it possible for this once everyday guy to have turned into such a vengeful murderer? And just how has Clyde been able to activate his reign of terror from inside his jail cell?
The premise of 'Law Abiding Citizen' is inherently interesting. It's also familiar. But familiar can be good when executed well. I mean, who doesn't love the "angry husband/father seeks revenge on the justice system when the murderer gets off with a light sentence" story? I fairly enjoyed the 1st half of the film where we're rooting - heavily - for Clyde as he satisfactorily takes down his initial victims. His first death, in particular, is not only gruesome, but well deserved. I also didn't mind an ingenious killing of one particular female. There's a gritty, visceral quality to the 1st half of the film that, while not groundbreaking, is fun to watch. But things go downhill once we start to know 'who' Clyde Shelton really is, how unbelievably absurd his elaborate plan is, & how the authorities react (or don't).
The script starts out well, creating tension & intrigue. But like I said, when 'LAC' tries to get 'thought-provoking' it really starts to unravel, & become uninvolving. What occurs in the final 30-45 minutes is so irrational, implausible, & nutty, that it took me out of the already only-decent plot (like the DA getting involved in police chases, etc.). And the climax is stupid, as well. As far as the acting goes, Foxx is kind of boring, here. And Gerard Butler is kick-ass for a while. But neither of these guys put their best foot forward. I also didn't like when Clyde starts making some idiotic mistakes near the end. He's concocted this incredibly convoluted plan. He's executed it flawlessly. And then he starts making mistakes. It reminded me of that movie Fracture; where Anthony Hopkins' character (a genius) makes a crucial mistake - hence, without that plot machination, no movie would have been made in the 1st place.
And, perhaps, the worst aspect of the film is the TONAL change that occurs. We initially cheer on Clyde. But he becomes a terrorist. And we initially don't like Nick (Foxx) very much. But we're supposed to be on his side by the end. The intention may have been to show the good & bad inside of both men. But the way the script unfolds, it's virtually impossible to like Clyde after all he's done. And neither is it possible for you to side with Foxx's character (after his 'villainization' early on - a man who has no time for his family, & accepted that plea bargain deal for the other killer). So this a lose-lose situation. I still sit unclear as to who I was supposed to 'feel' for. Overall, I enjoyed some things. But when the Death Wish feel wore off, 'LAC' became sloppy, & extremely disappointing. The trailer promises (like most movies) a better movie than we get.