Action Thriller Plays to Mel Gibson’s Strengths

He’s backkkk.... yes, good ole Mel Gibson’s back in his first starring role since Signs (2002) and I’m pleased to say this nail-biting crime thriller is a good match for Mel as it showcases his seasoned acting talents. Mel plays Thomas Craven, a detective with the Boston police department whose 24-year-old daughter Emma  (Bojana Novakovic ) is brutally murdered in the first 15 minutes of the film. Craven mistakenly thinks Emma was killed by someone who was out to get him, an assumption that is a million miles from the truth.

The script plays on several major themes for our hero: grief, guilt and retaliation. You see, Thomas Craven has a good heart; he just wasn’t the best of dads in raising his only child. After she’s gone, he filled with remorse and goes after the killers with a vengeance. He’s shown in a highly emotional state with a nothing-to-lose attitude, creating an explosive combination. Basically, Mel Gibson’s performance is solid as well as entertaining. He reminded me somewhat of Clint Eastwood’s ‘Dirty Harry’ character at times. 

The story is based on an award winning BBC mini-series directed by Phil Meheux of James Bond’s Casino Royale fame. The script is penned by William Monahan, the Academy Award winning screenwriter of The Departed. 

What Craven shockingly discovers is that Emma was working for a company that manufactured high tech explosives that were meant to be sold to the highest bidder. She knew secrets about the illegal activities that were occurring at the Northmoor firm and tried to expose them. Her attempt was met with sure death; as not only did they shoot her, they poisoned her as well.

The supporting cast is great as Craven interacts with the evil corporate Northmoor high powers that wear Brioni suits such as Bennett played by Danny Huston. Ray Winestone, an extremely talented British actor, plays Jedburgh, an ex CIA agent that would like nothing more than to cover-up the incident. We are never really sure whose side he’s on at times as he appears and re-appears rather mysteriously.  What we do know is that all of his scenes with Gibson are fantastic!

Daniel Burham is a co-worker with Emma and boyfriend who cared about her as well. He’s played by Shawn Robert. The great thing about Burham is that he helps Craven immensely by giving him her personal items and spilling some of the secrets of his deceased girlfriend’s job. By studying her cell phone contact list, Craven finds another person who knows plenty about Emma, but is afraid to tell him anything. She has reasons to be afraid as her instincts are spot on. One minute we see her talking with Craven and the next minute we see her being run down by a car. This is a bloody scene like most in this film. Don’t say you weren’t warned; violence and blood overflow in the film, especially near the end.

Techniques that I did enjoy were the addition of replicated home movies that were strewn throughout the film. Emma would reappear as a 10-year-old at the beach or during a birthday party. When Craven strolls down the beach to sprinkle his daughter’s ashes, she appears as a little girl playing in the sand and talks to her father. “This is my beach,” she says as she giggles. These flashbacks add to the story and serve to tighten our connection to Craven and his loss. 

Bottom line- This was an enjoyable and entertaining fast paced film with a surprise ending.

Sarah Adamson © January 2010