REVENGE flicks have been around for a while, and count some pretty ordinary films amongst their number, so expectations aren’t going to be sky high for Law Abiding Citizen.
Fortunately, expectations can be misleading, and the plot unfolds in an unpredictable fashion that keeps audiences guessing, though some of the later plot developments stretch believability beyond the limit.
The first half-hour certainly sets things up for a Death Wish-style revenge extravaganza, with Clyde Shelton (Butler of 300 and RocknRolla fame) witnessing the brutal murder of his wife and daughter by two thugs during a home invasion, while receiving near-fatal injuries himself.
Hotshot prosecutor Nick Rice (Foxx) cuts a deal with one of the offenders to testify against the other, securing the death penalty for one but letting the other off with a three-year sentence.
While Rice is prepared to compromise on justice to ensure he keeps up his high rate of successful prosecutions, Shelton is devastated by the light sentence handed out to the man who killed his family.
No prizes for guessing who Shelton goes after for revenge when the opportunities finally arise years later, but taking out the perpetrator is just the beginning of Shelton’s plans.
He wants to bring down the system that failed him and as more is revealed about his murky past and his capacity for mayhem, it seems that the system could be in trouble.
Butler gives a memorable physical performance as a dangerous man descending into madness, while Foxx is solid with his straight-laced role that doesn’t offer him much opportunity to display his acting chops.
Director F Gary Gray does a good job with a reasonably dynamic style that works without going dizzyingly overboard (like the work of Tony Scott and other Hollywood directors who don’t know when to rein it in).
Gray got his start about a decade ago directing hip-hop and R&B videos, as well as some feature film vehicles for hip-hop stars such as Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg.
His recent Hollywood efforts include the forgettable 2003 remake of The Italian Job and 2005’s reprehensibly bad Get Shorty sequel Be Cool.
Law Abiding Citizen is a big step up from those films and shows what Gray can do with a half-decent script.
This is entertaining from start to finish, though a pinch of salt would be recommended to go with the final 20 minutes.
Law Abiding Citizen (MA)
Directed by: F Gary Gray
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx
Rating: Three stars (109 minutes)
Screening: now