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Edge of Darkness
| Movie Rating: |
 | 6/10 |
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| DVD Rating: |
| 3/10 |
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| Overall Rating: |
| 6/10 |
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Movie Details: View Here
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Starring:
Mel Gibson
Ray Winstone
Danny Huston
Special Features:
Additional/Alternate Scenes
Other Info:
Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Color
Audio: ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1
SPANISH: Dolby Digital 5.1
FRENCH: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English
Run Time: 117 min
Rating: R
Synopsis from DVD Cover:
The bullet that killed his daughter was meant for Boston cop Thomas Craven. That's what police brass and Craven himself think, but that's not what the investigation finds. Clue after clue and witness after witness, the search leads him into a shadowy realm where money and political intrigue intersect. If Craven wasn't a target before, he - and anyone linked to his inquiry - now is. Mel Gibson stars in his first screen lead in eight years, making Craven's grief palpable and his quest for payback stone-cold and relentless.
Quick Review:
Somehow, it seems impossible that Mel Gibson hasn't starred in a movie since 2002, mainly because he's been either directing (The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto), or spouting off drunken rants or divorcing his wife-he's never left the news, so it's like he never left the screen. He has though, and now that he's back, it's like he's never left-mainly because here, as bereaved dad Thomas Craven, he's a lot like some of the characters of his past (think Payback, Ransom, Conspiracy Theory). That's not a bad thing, though, and no matter where you come down on Mel personally, he's an undeniably good actor, and he makes this somewhat by-the-book conspiracy thriller infinitely more watchable.
Boston Homicide Detective Thomas Craven (Gibson) knows there's something a little off about his daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic), but she tells him she thinks she just has a little bug-then she starts bleeding and vomiting. Before they can get her to a hospital, however, Emma is gunned down outside Tom's door, and everyone thinks that, of course, it's some disgruntled thug out for revenge against the elder Craven. Turns out, Emma was the target all along, because she knows too much about a bunch of bad goings on that involve the U.S. government, nukes, and cover-ups, and it's now up to her father to uncover the secrets Emma had unearthed and avenge the death of his daughter.
Vengeance and conspiracies are familiar territory for Gibson, and Edge of Darkness is a comfortable way to jump back on screen. Playing Thomas Craven, he's able to find the balance between hardened cop-guy and grieving father and pull off a Boston accent, and even his short interactions with Emma while she is alive are sincere. There's also a nice balance in the story between action, conspiracy shenanigans, and genuine moments, mostly in flashback, between Tom and Emma. The opening scenes are especially harrowing and well done. Plot-wise, it all gets a little complicated, especially with the addition of C.I.A. "consultant" Jedburgh, played by Ray Winstone, who's hired to keep Tom from "connecting A to B," but who finds himself more on the side of his project than his client. Winstone is, frankly, a tad difficult to understand at times, which could lead to confusion about who's working for whom and who wants which person dead. Also, the big mystery, though explained, is still somewhat cloudy and requires more thought than this movie might deserve.
Most of the Special Features are found on the Blu-ray, but I watched the DVD, which is a little skimpy on Extras, featuring just four Deleted Scenes: one scene with Winstone on a golf course, one in which Craven talks to dead Emma, another version of Tom's final fight with Bennett, and a little scene with some officers talking about Thomas. Nothing really that changes the story or adds much. The Blu-ray offers a few more Deleted Scenes and some featurettes and trailers.
In Conclusion:
There's nothing new in Edge of Darkness, a pretty basic conspiracy revenge flick, but Mel Gibson's grieving father with nothing to lose, while familiar, makes for an engrossing watch.
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