Tweet      

4 Stars

Mel Gibson scores in a perfectly chosen ‘comeback’ vehicle. After an 8yr absence from the screen, Gibson returns as Tom Craven, a veteran Boston detective. When his daughter is slain on the front steps of their home, Tom begins a quest for answers and blood. Eventually this leads him to the headquarters of the corporation that once employed him, and now may have killed his daughter. Danny Huston is deliciously slimy as the CEO. He and Gibson have a great scene together at about the mid-way point. Yet Ray Winstone almost steals the show, appearing as an agent from an undisclosed government agency. Martin Campbell’s crisp direction and William Monahan’s streamlined script makes each scene count, while leading up to a shocking and violent conclusion. This is the rare adult action thriller that actually thrills.

Director: Martin Campbell
Stars: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston