Sunday, June 13, 2010

Edge of Darkness

EDGE OF DARKNESS is Mel Gibson’s first movie as an actor in several years, and it’s a good part for him: a world-weary Boston police detective who is trying to solve the murder of his grown daughter, who was gunned while she was visiting him by someone with an apparent grudge against Gibson’s character.


The big plot twist here is so obvious that the filmmakers wisely don’t try to keep it a secret for very long. Unfortunately, the whole movie is equally as predictable. You’ll know just about everything that’s going to happen well before it does, except for the parts that don’t really make sense. Plotwise, EDGE OF DARKNESS winds up really muddled.


Which is a shame, because otherwise it’s a well-made film. The action scenes are effective, Gibson does a good job as the vengeful, mourning cop, and Danny Huston, as always, is the smarmiest villain in the movies these days. EDGE OF DARKNESS isn’t a terrible film, it’s just not a very good one.

6 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

I've been thinking on seeing this. I may loose it on PPV pretty soon, though. I do like Mel though.

Vince said...

The BBC miniseries that this movie is based on is one of the best things I've ever seen on television. That's on DVD now, too.

Brian Drake said...

I would have to agree, James. The first ten minutes or so, right up to where the daughter was shot, were terrific, and I thought we'd be in for a good show. But then it dragged on at a snails' pace and, as you said, became very predictable, and by the end I didn't care. Luckily it wasn't my money that bought the tickets, but those are a few hours I won't get back.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Exactly how we felt about it. Just not good enough.

Juri said...

I second Vince's opinion, even though it's over 15 years since I saw the original series.

Paul D Brazill said...

Yeah, the TV series was great and quite ahead of it's time. I'm not a big Mel fan but I liked the one where he dressed in women's clothing.