Law Abiding Citizen (Review) (TRAILER)

Written by Chris YogerstcloseAuthor: chrisyogerst Name: Chris Yogerst
Email: chris@parcbench.com
Site: http://twitter.com/chrisyogerst
About: Chris graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BA in film studies and English. He is pursuing a master's degree in 'critical studies in film and television' and is the editor of the Parcbench movies section. He is also a contributor to Breitbart's Big Hollywood and Frontpagemag's Newsreal.See Authors Posts (74) on October 16, 2009

There is no question that our system of justice if flawed.  There are bleeding heart attorneys who strive to get murderers off the hook only to further their own career.  They refuse to realize what letting a killer loose looks like in a community.

Of course a high profile case like the O.J. Simpson murder trial is a prime example.  Just when it looked like the case against Simpson was air tight, the defense pulled the right strings and rendered all of the most decisive evidence against the defendant useless.  We may never know the truth.

After all, “It’s not what you know; it’s what you can prove in court.”

This is what attorney Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx, not the best pick for this role) tells Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler).  For prideful reasons Nick didn’t want to risk losing a case even when Clyde watched two men murder his wife and child.  Going against Clyde’s wishes, Nick is able to get one of the assailants the death penalty.  The man who actually did the killing walked because he was offered a deal to testify against his accomplice.

After the case is closed, we see Nick’s home along with his pregnant wife.  With a baby on the way, it’s hard to believe he didn’t have the drive to do everything he can to get the murderer of another man’s wife and child off the streets.

Ten years later, Clyde decides to take action not only against Nick but against the system that allowed his family’s killer to be set free.  While the lethal injection slowly seeps into the body of the convicted half of the murderous duo, we realized the chemicals have been tampered with.  Instead of a painless death the man is awarded a painful and torturous reminder of what he took part in thanks to suspiciously changed canisters.

Shortly thereafter the released killer is captured and murdered by Clyde in a torture scene that rivals those of Showtime’s Dexter series.  The buildup to this scene is brilliant.  Each small noise feels like pins on our spine while we wait in agony to see which sharp tool will be picked up next.

At this point of the film the best analogy I could think of was that Law Abiding Citizen is basically Saw but with a more concrete plot (and a conscience).  There are times when it feels like a horror movie and at other times like a revenge flick (I believe it is meant to be the latter).  This genre combination allows the audience to feel unsure of whose side they should be on.

Clyde is a victim, but he turns into a monster.  His frustrations are more than justified.  The problem is he goes too far only to prove that the justice system isn’t perfect.  That being said, we can bet that if there is one thing that would drive a man to go off the deep end like this, it would not only the murder of his family but the release of the killer himself.

At times the film gets derailed due to awkward dialogue.  It was hard not to laugh when Clyde is talking to the Nick about his revolt and says, “It’s going to be Biblical.”  While he is creating quite a stir, it is obviously far from Biblical.  We know Clyde has ‘lost it’ mentally so we begin to drift from him.  We also still know that Nick is a corrupt and selfish attorney.  Times like this leave the audience in an intellectual limbo until we can find a character to stand by again.

Aside from the couple of small hiccups in the delivery of the film, it remains relatively solid.  It is a good critique on the justice system (it must be watched with a close eye).  The questions raised in this film are reasonable.  What will it take for people to realize that we cannot be soft on crime?

I would have preferred Clyde to be the voice of reason throughout, but it isn’t that simple.  This film will keep you guessing until the very end.  You will be at the edge of your seat in true thriller fashion.  It is a good combination of thrill ride and social commentary.  While it may check some of its rational at the door, it is a must see for any fan of the revenge film.