Law Abiding Citizen – Dual DVD Review

The Film:

Donny:

Revenge flicks rule! I’ve been a fan of this genre since I first saw Death Wish and I can never get enough of them. In the eighties they were a dime a dozen, but in the current remake/PG-13 climate these flicks are few and far between. Law Abiding Citizen must have slipped through the cracks because it is most definitely a revenge flick, and a good one at that.

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is a family man that that is forced to take the law into his own hands after his lawyer (Jamie Foxx) makes a deal that sets one of his wife and daughter’s murderers free. Shelton doesn’t rush out to exact his revenge immediately, he decides to wait 10 years and to meticulously plan out their demise in precise detail. So precise is his attention to detail that he is able to kill from behind bars.

Jon: Revenge flicks our one of cinema’s most tried and true genres, and like Donny, I’m always on board for seeing the newest one. Law Abiding Citizen really isn’t anything new, and while it adds some elaborate Saw type planning to the revenge planning, it succeeds because it is first and foremost, a gripping thriller. The film understands the genre, and one of the key elements a good revenge film needs to have, is the climax of having our hero extract the revenge. Law Abiding Citizen does that in spades.

Donny:

Brilliant! Law Abiding Citizen follows the standard revenge flick conventions, then throws a wrench into the mix. It totally puts the audience in Shelton’s corner for the first quarter of the movie, only to quickly split his supporters after Shelton decides that everyone, including the lowly file clerk or legal assistant connected to the release of his wife and daughter’s murderer must die.

Director F. Gary Gray did a tremendous job of creating the perfect balance of love and hate for Jamie Fox’s character Nick Rice, while allowing Gerard Butler to shine as the titular character. I was really impressed with his visual style as well as his pacing. Gray is definitely going to be added to my list of directors to watch.

Jon: One of the surprising things in the film for me, was seeing Gerald Butler turn in a solid performance as our hero, who is devastated by the violent deaths of his wife and daughter, but then turns on the bad-ass mode. I have found Butler to be fairly generic most of the time, but the script gives him a lot to do emotionally and physically. The film’s pacing and slick design should be credited to F. Gary Gray, who is a seasoned directing vet, almost forgotten. Hopefully, his work here will give some producers something to think about.

Donny: Law Abiding Citizen was a fun adrenaline fueled thrill ride that left me begging for more, it is positively a killer film. The only complaint I have is that I would have enjoyed watching Shelton kill more people and cause more carnage.

Jon: It’s far from the best the genre has to offer, yet that’s okay, since it plays with the formula safely, while adding some twists and turns. The acting and directing shine, and while the ending seem to send some people off in a tizzy, Law Abiding Citizen was a solid time with sweet revenge.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: Anchor Bay/Starz DVD is superb, offering a crisp looking transfer and a very aggressive Dolby Digital track. No issues on both ends, as the transfer is slick, with deep blacks and cool colors all accurately represented.

Commentary: This track only gives us the producers, but it’s an interesting look at the film’s genesis and execution from a production companies POV. But one would have liked F. Gary Gray here.

Justice of Law Abiding Citizen: This quick little extra has two legal representatives who talk on the plausibility of the film’s ideas and themes. It’s kind of fun.

Law in Black and White: Here’s a different behind-the-scenes extra, as the discuss the film’s ideas, with the director and stars, along with some rehearsal footage. Fans of the film will like what they are saying here, but for those who disliked the film’s ideas, you need not apply.

Visual Effects of Law Abiding Citizen and the film’s Trailer finish out the extras.

Conclusion: Donny loved it, Jon liked it. The film is a solid revenge tale, that doesn’t do anything to new, but is executed well. The DVD is superb.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating: