|
A sociopathic avenger (Gerard Butler) examines evidence from an investigator (Jamie Foxx) in “Law Abiding Citizen.” |
Take Charles Bronson’s vigilante architect from Michael Winner’s semi-classic “Death Wish” and mix him with Tobin Bell’s insanely creative sociopath Jigsaw from the “Saw” movies, you’d roughly have the anti-hero of F. Gary Gray’s conscience-slapping, MENSA-powered thriller “Law Abiding Citizen.”
Actually, “Law Abiding Citizen” is just as much of a tragedy as a conventional thriller. The two men butting legal and moral heads in this crime drama are neither all heroes nor all villains, but flawed fathers wrestling with their consciences.
In the case of the very flawed Clyde Shelton, played by Mr. Beefcake himself, Gerard Butler, his conscience loses big time.
In a nail-biting prologue, two thugs invade Shelton’s home. They stab him, kill his wife and little girl.
When the killers are arrested and enter the legal system, hotshot Assistant D.A. Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), anxious to preserve his impressive 97 percent conviction rate, cuts a deal with Shelton’s assailant, Clarence Darby (Christian Stolte), to finger his accomplice, Rupert Ames (Josh Stewart), for the fatal attacks.
Shelton can’t believe the man who killed his wife and daughter will be free in a few short years.
“This is just how the justice system works,” Rice explains. (Read more…)