Edge of Darkness [2010]

The return of the soldier. Mel Gibson stars in this thriller that has expectedly won over audiences all around the world. But is there any reason for that? I think not. This movie, except for a few jumpy scenes, is pretty much the usual stuff, and it has nothing new to offer. We have seen the similar approach in his 1999 flick Payback, I mean for fucks sake, what is it with Mel and his daughters? He always seems to be rescuing or avenging his daughter. I think that this protector/helpless female works well with tribal crowds, so we can expect even more of these movies in the future. This movie is actually based on a British TV series that was released back in 1985 with Bob Peck starring as Craven. This gave it enough substance not to be another commercial blunder, but a thought out thriller with just the right amount of action and tension. This is not Taken, but a more thrillery approach to the subject.

Thomas Craven is homicide detective, estranged from his daughter he lives alone and concentrates on work. When his daughter visits him a series of events will make him a very angry man, relentless in his search for answers that will lead him much higher than he expected. There are several unexpected scenes that just jolt the viewer with their sheer intensity, and if they took that approach and applied it to the entire movie, this would be an instant classic, alas. Still it is well worth watching. Enjoy…

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Bojana Novakovic, Danny Huston, Jay O. Sanders

Fun Stuff: Robert De Niro was originally cast as Darius Jedburgh, but dropped out due to ‘creative differences’ after a few days on the set.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226273/