October 18, 2009
Review - " Law Abiding Citizen " - (in theaters) By Roland Hansen
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really mattered was that he was doing it and how those involved would react and whether they would figure it out in time.
My biggest issue with the movie is that there was really no one to root for. The audience will naturally be drawn to Clyde
because of the trauma he went through and wanting to see those responsible pay. However as the movie progresses the
gruesomeness of his actions and the deaths he inflicts (some to innocent people) makes it near impossible to support him. At
the same time on the other side is Nick, who allowed this to happen even though the justification is presented as him having
simply done his job by making a tough decision.
About half way though I started thinking
about whether there would be a
resolution that I could actually be
satisfied with. However it actually was
tied up well and I walked away feeling
OK about that. I don’t believe anyone
came out a winner or loser which given
the developments throughout the film
was the best way to go.
Law Abiding Citizen is a well structured
and entertaining film. The main thing
missing was a connection to the
characters by having someone to side
with. Still for anyone that enjoys the
revenge or cat and mouse type movies
this is a good one and worth a trip out
to the theater.


Law Abiding Citizen
Directed by: F Gary Gray
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Bruce McGill, Colm Meaney, Leslie
Bibb, Michael Irby, Regina Hall, Viola Davis.
I’m somewhat drawn to revenge movies, those where the main character
has nothing to lose and goes on a rampage (who amoung us hasn't
fantasized about taking revenge on those who have done us wrong?).
Thus is the premise of Law Abiding Citizen as Clyde Shelton (played by
Gerard Butler) sees his wife and daughter killed. The prosecutor Nick
Rice (Jamie Foxx) cuts a deal that results in one of the two murderers
facing the death penalty. The other was flipped to ensure that but in
doing so received only a few years. For Clyde this is far from being the
justice he sought and that drives him to formulate a plan of revenge to
culminate years later.
Both Foxx and Butler do well in their roles and the movie is best when
the two are directly interacting. I wouldn’t call it an action movie
necessarily but the scenes with explosions are very grounded and
impressive. There was also one instance in particular where I anticipated
something was coming but was still caught off guard as I think everyone
in the audience was rattled by it. Director F. Gary Gray has churned out
some entertaining movies in the past and he has done so again here.
While there is an element of mystery to how Clyde is able to do
everything while he is being held I never felt like that was an important
part of the story and the reveal was somewhat anti-climactic. All that
