James Wan ("Saw", "Dead Silence", "The Conjuring") taking on the 'vigilante' film genre, adapted from Brian Garfield's novel (the same author of one of the best Charles Bronson's vehicles, "Death Wish") delivers a dark, grim & gritty film, about an upper class 'all american dad', Nicholas Hume (played by Kevin Bacon), married to a beautiful middle-aged housewife, Helen (Kelly Preston, the former 80's bombshell from "Mischief", "Secret Admirer" & "Twins", now the respectable Mrs. John Travolta) and proudly father of two teenage boys, Brendan (Stuart Lafferty) & Lucas (Jordan Garrett). All the harmony suddenly changes when his older son is merciless killed during a gas station robbery by a young 'prospect' trying to enter in a vicious street gang.
Nonconformist about the way that law acts in the courtroom, Nick follows the young criminal and makes justice by his own hands, starting a private war in the proccess, unaware that his victim was in fact the younger, protected brother of the gang leader, Billy Darley (Garrett Hedlund) who delivers to the Hume family a "Death Sentence"...
Frantically edited, professionally photographed (using pale and monotonous colors to enhance desperation and doom) and directed, including a well staged pursuit sequence of the Darley's gang to Hume, "Death Sentence" is a raw and violent film that pays homage to the 70's grindhouse films of this genre and even the mainstream ones like Scorsese's "Taxi Driver".
The script by Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, that deviates from the source novel, could have been better developed, showing more of the psychologic aspects of it and less of people shooting each others, but Wan's goal was simply the visual impact of delivering more creative ways to stage violent scenes on-screen and trying not to be a carbon copy of "Death Wish", since both stories are too similar in actions, atmosphere and in tone.
In acting terms, Kevin Bacon delivers a brilliant / haunting performance in the main role, perhaps even one of his best ever (tied with "Murder in the First", "Sleepers" and "The Woodsman) with commited supporting performances from Kelly Preston (the hospital scene is very well acted and a highlight of the film due to its realism); the relentless Garrett Hedlund who is so despicable that makes the viewer side-by-side with Bacon's acts of vigilantism & John Goodman, in a short appearance, but remarkable as the sleazy arms' dealer. Leigh Whannell became the Dean Devlin of Roland Emmerich to James Wan's films, a kinda of third wheel, that is in there just because he's best friends with the director. Aisha Tyler is also good as the female police detective, but her character went nowhere and was just there to the sake of the movie having an astute cop (except on her questionable actions), following the conventions of the 'vigilante' genre.
In short, "Death Sentence" even if it's nothing sort of new (since "Death Wish" that dozens of films tried to expand the genre), is still an above average 'vigilante' / crime / thriller film that should please the fans.
I give it a 7,5 (close to 8) !!
Nonconformist about the way that law acts in the courtroom, Nick follows the young criminal and makes justice by his own hands, starting a private war in the proccess, unaware that his victim was in fact the younger, protected brother of the gang leader, Billy Darley (Garrett Hedlund) who delivers to the Hume family a "Death Sentence"...
Frantically edited, professionally photographed (using pale and monotonous colors to enhance desperation and doom) and directed, including a well staged pursuit sequence of the Darley's gang to Hume, "Death Sentence" is a raw and violent film that pays homage to the 70's grindhouse films of this genre and even the mainstream ones like Scorsese's "Taxi Driver".
The script by Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, that deviates from the source novel, could have been better developed, showing more of the psychologic aspects of it and less of people shooting each others, but Wan's goal was simply the visual impact of delivering more creative ways to stage violent scenes on-screen and trying not to be a carbon copy of "Death Wish", since both stories are too similar in actions, atmosphere and in tone.
In acting terms, Kevin Bacon delivers a brilliant / haunting performance in the main role, perhaps even one of his best ever (tied with "Murder in the First", "Sleepers" and "The Woodsman) with commited supporting performances from Kelly Preston (the hospital scene is very well acted and a highlight of the film due to its realism); the relentless Garrett Hedlund who is so despicable that makes the viewer side-by-side with Bacon's acts of vigilantism & John Goodman, in a short appearance, but remarkable as the sleazy arms' dealer. Leigh Whannell became the Dean Devlin of Roland Emmerich to James Wan's films, a kinda of third wheel, that is in there just because he's best friends with the director. Aisha Tyler is also good as the female police detective, but her character went nowhere and was just there to the sake of the movie having an astute cop (except on her questionable actions), following the conventions of the 'vigilante' genre.
In short, "Death Sentence" even if it's nothing sort of new (since "Death Wish" that dozens of films tried to expand the genre), is still an above average 'vigilante' / crime / thriller film that should please the fans.
I give it a 7,5 (close to 8) !!