Death Sentence (2007)

Director:

James Wan

Writers (WGA):

Ian Jeffers (screenplay)
Brian Garfield (novel)

Release Date:

31 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Protect What's Yours

Plot:

Nick Hume is a mild-mannered executive with a perfect life, until one gruesome night he witnesses something that changes him forever. Transformed by grief, Hume eventually comes to the disturbing conclusion that no length is too great when protecting his family.

Plot Keywords:

Baseball Bat | Vigilantism | Loss Of Family | Junkie | Gore

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Sept. 7	8:00 PM	MAX
Sat. Sept. 13	6:15 PM	MAX

Cast

Kevin Bacon	...	Nick Hume
Garrett Hedlund	...	Billy Darley
Kelly Preston	...	Helen Hume
Jordan Garrett	...	Lucas Hume
Stuart Lafferty	...	Brendan Hume
Aisha Tyler	...	Detective Wallis
John Goodman	...	Bones Darley
Matt O'Leary	...	Joe Darley (as Matthew O'Leary)
Edi Gathegi	...	Bodie
Hector Atreyu Ruiz	...	Heco
Kanin J. Howell	...	Baggy (as Kanin Howell)
Dennis Keiffer	...	Jamie
Freddy Bouciegues	...	Tommy
Leigh Whannell	...	Spink
Casey Pieretti	...	Dog

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody brutal violence and pervasive language.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Norway:15 | France:-12 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Malaysia:18SG | Hong Kong:IIB | UK:18 | Australia:MA | USA:R (certificate #43539) | Finland:K-18 | Taiwan:R-18 | Germany:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Ireland:18 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Columbia, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Originally, the film was to take place in Boston, Massachusetts before the director decided to have the film set in Columbia, South Carolina. The novel, completely different from the movie, took place in Chicago, Illinois.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Several areas of the movie indicate it takes place in California (police car logo, police phone number with 310 area code); however, none of the cars have front license plates which is a state requirement in California.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nicholas "Nick" Hume: [while recording his family at Christmas] Okay, guys. Ready?

Movie Connections:

References Dead Silence (2007)

Soundtrack:

Deo Dona Nobis Pacem

Revenge and other forms of Madness

DEATH SENTENCE is a tough movie to watch, not because it is a poorly made film, but because of the degree of violence that, once started, is mayhem on a roller coaster ride. Though based on a novel by Brian Garfield, the script by Ian Jeffers is a patchwork quilt - the holes show whenever the police arrive on the scene. James Wan, of the 'Saw' movies fame, directs with a keen eye for breathless action sequences and almost intolerable suspense timing that makes the film fly through the 111 minutes of the Unrated version.

During the opening credits we are introduced to the perfect family via home movies and domestic scenes: Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) is the devoted father, Helen (Kelly Preston) his bright and loving wife, Brendan (Stuart Lafferty) is the golden boy son with all the soccer laurels, and Lucas (Jordan Garrett) the younger 'also ran' son. The glitch in this family's happiness happens one night when, out of gas while driving home from a soccer game, Nick stops at a gas station and while Brendan is in the convenience store a gang comes in and murders the store owner and Brendan: the reason for the killing is not robbery but an initiation rite into a gang accomplished by young Joe Darley (Matt O'Leary) and the demand of his older brother Billy (Garrett Hedlund, in a very out of character role from his usual 'Troy', 'Friday Night Lights', 'Eragon', 'Georgia Rule' persona). Nick witnesses the killing and when the lawyers and police work with him in the aftermath to 'arrange a deal' instead of a murder trial, Nick decides to take matters in hi s own hands.

The Darley brothers are part of a ruthless gang sponsored by their own father Bones Darley (John Goodman, in a very dark and well-realized role). Nick stalks Joe Darley and murders him, and once the deed (that happens to begin a gang war against Nick) is done the terror begins. The gang is out to kill not only Nick but Nick's family also. How this pursued and pursuers game works out furnishes the remainder of the film. It is the old eye for an eye story that ends in tragedy for everyone concerned.

When the film is dealing with the 'family' and the 'gang' the dialog sparkles, but when the police, headed by Detective Wallis (Aisha Tyler), become involved the aid from the police becomes as ludicrous as the dialog placed in their mouths. Kevin Bacon gives a bravura performance as the gentle father driven to murderous madness and Garrett Hedlund matches him as the ruthless and terrifying gang leader Billy. There are enough sidebars about father/son relationships on both sides of the plot line to make the movie have a message. But in the end it is the wildly frantic camera action and directorial decisions by Wan that make this a horrifying and arresting film. Not for the queasy viewer. Grady Harp