Edge of Darkness (2010) – Review

Edge of Darkness is an effective thriller about a detective hunting down the person(s) responsible for the death of his daughter (aka, do not mess with Mel Gibson’s family – you would think after Braveheart and The Patriot bad guys would know not to kill his family, that only pisses him off and makes him go crazy; the British would have concurred Scotland and America if they just did not kill members of his family, big mistake, and yet here again it happens). The film is an interesting combination of an action-packed thriller with jarring moments and a man dealing with the loss of his daughter. Her death is haunting him (literally, or so it appears early on in the film) – shown in a seemingly out of place fashion for the type of film this presents itself to be. Director Martin Campbell manifests this relationship between grieving-father and lost loved-one through flashbacks of her as a young child, which is a typically used device, and the atypical instruments (again for this type of film) of Gibson hearing her voice speak to him in the present and him responding to her, as well and Gibson seeing her and even interacting with her, as if this were a ghost story of some sort. While these elements feel odd and out of place for most of the film, Campbell is able to pay it off in a surprisingly satisfactory way – thereby making it work and adding a new almost spiritual dimension to the film. Thus upon resolution, it is not so much that her spirit is haunting him (in a literal sense); rather it is used to both show his sadness but also his motivation to bring forth justice – to fully lay her spirit to rest in his mind – in a more realized dramatic sense for the character than flashbacks alone would have created. Writer William Monahan also brings his style of impactful violence and no nonsense realistic feeling dialog to the feature, which also benefits the finish product greatly. While the film does deal with Gibson finding out why and who killed his daughter, Campbell (as seen in his thematic choices) is more interested in Gibson’s emotional journey, again reflected in the spiritual nature of the finale shot. The film works well through Campbell’s directing and Monahan’s writing as a straight thriller, but it is really the journey, at first seeming like weakness to the films overall structure, that sets it apart from other films of its genre (like Taken). There is a political tone to the film as well; and as the case often is, it is against big business and government, siding with the everyman (to some degree). It is interesting to see that here it is the arrogance of power that ultimately leads to its own downfall. While it seems that the everyman or one man or a small group could not stand up to such a large and formidable façade, it is just that which makes it vulnerable. This is a device that speaks to the audience, especially in times that we face today. And thus, all in all, it is a potent tool to engage the viewer. Mel Gibson does fine work in the film. While it is fairly common ground for him in terms of past roles, he is still an engaging star that the viewer gets behind, benefiting the narrative of the film. Ray Winstone and Danny Huston (who strangely looks like a gangster boss more so than a CEO in his final scene) play their roles well too. And in small roles, Denis O’Hare and Damien Young are quite effective. Phil Meheux’s collaboration with Campbell created a number of outstanding shots in the film (I especially like the composition of the opening frame). Overall Edge of Darkness manages to be a gripping thriller, full of intense action pieces, while also appealing to the emotional need of the audience. 7/10

At the Movies – January

Must See in Theatres:

The Book of Eli (The Hughes Bros.) – Action – Jan 15

The action film is about a lone man that must protect a book containing the secrets to save humanity in post-apocalyptic America. The Hughes Brothers return behind the camera after a nine year break. Known for their visual style, fluid camera and dark themed action, the material of this film fits right into their wheelhouse. It should be interesting to see how they collaborate with Don Burgess, who has a history of shooting big set pieces. The film has an awesome cast including Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis. Oldman has a number of classic performances as villains (notably in The Fifth Element and Leon). Hopefully, his performance in this will be another. Check out the trailer.

Worth Checking Out (if not in theatres then at home):

Edge of Darkness (Martin Campbell) – Thriller – Jan 29

The film is about a homicide detective in Boston who investigates the death of his daughter only to uncover her secret life and a corporate cover-up. Director Martin Campbell made two of his better films with his James Bond forays and this film feels like a grittier version. The script was written by William Monahan who wrote the Oscar winner The Departed. Thus, behind the camera the film looks to be good. In front of the camera, Mel Gibson, Ray Winston and Danny Huston star. This represents Gibson’s return to acting, starring in a sort of typical Gibson project. Check out the trailer.

Good for Dates:

Leap Year (Anand Tucker) – Romance – Jan 8

This romantic comedy is about a woman’s elaborate plan to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day. This film stands out because of its leads, Amy Adams (always wonderful) and Matthew Goode. John Lithgow also stars and is in top form as of late (as all that watch Dexter know). Check out the trailer.

When in Rome (Mark Steven Johnson) – Romance – Jan 29

Looking for redemption after the awful Ghost Rider and slightly less terrible Daredevil, Mark Steven Johnson returns with a romantic comedy about a young ambitious woman who is unlucky in love. She throws a coin into a famous fountain of love in Rome and suddenly is pursued by a gang of suitors. The film looks to be good much like Leap Year due to its lead, Kristin Bell, who is making her feature debut as a lead in a Hollywood film. The cast also includes Josh Duhamel, the fantastic Lee Pace and a group of comedians including Will Arnett, Jon Heder and Kristen Schaal. The film also features a score by Christopher Young which should be good, given his awesome work on Drag Me to Hell. Check out the trailer.

Fun Movies:

Daybreakers (The Spierig Brothers) – Horror – Jan 8

In line with the current trend, here is another vampire film, Daybreakers is about a plague in the year 2019 that has transformed almost every human into a vampire, now faced with a dwindling blood supply a group of vamps band together to save humankind. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Isabel Lucas, Willem Defoe, and Sam Neill. The film is touted to be a fun sc-fi action- adventure horror film with groundbreaking effects. Check out the trailer.

Youth in Revolt (Miguel Arteta) – Comedy – Jan 8

A comedy about a boy that meets his dream girl, Nick Twisp creates a new personality in hopes that this cooler version of himself will help him get the girl, in an effort to lose his virginity. After dabbling in TV for awhile, Miguel Arteta returns to features, his last being The Good Girl, and seems to be a good match for the subject material as he does well with subversive comedy. The film stars Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday. Cera starts out playing the role in his typical and really tired manner of wimpy yet supposedly cool. It will be interesting to see how Cera handles the confident and sort of European coolness of his other personality. Check out the trailer.

Art-House:

The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke) – Drama – Jan 1

From the acclaimed director of Cache, The White Ribbon is about a small village north of Germany in which strange events happen just before WWI. The events seem to be ritual punishment with the abused and suppressed children of the village at the center of the mystery. The film is of note as it won the 2009 Golden Palm (top film) at the Cannes Film Festival. Check out the trailer.