Review: Edge of Darkness

Edge of Darkness

OPENING: 01/29/2009

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

RUN TIME: 117 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Few escape justice. None escape vengeance.

Opening Statement
Mel Gibson hasn’t starred in a feature film since 2002, appearing in the war tale We Were Soldiers and M. Night Shyamalan’s alien invasion flick Signs. Since then, he’s been involved in one controversy after another, from the stir surrounding his ultra-violent The Passion of the Christ to the now infamous 2006 drunken, racist tirade. His return to acting world is accompanied by much personal baggage, which moviegoers may or may not be ready to dismiss. That being said, Mel’s new film Edge of Darkness deserves to be judged on its own merits, and in that sense it’s a respectable thriller boasting a solid lead performance.

Facts of the Case
Gibson plays Detective Thomas Craven, a member of the Boston Police Department, whose daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic, Drag Me to Hell) comes home for a visit. Sadly, that visit is cut tragically short when Emma is gunned down in front of her father’s eyes during a drive-by shooting. The grief-stricken detective quickly determines to find out who is responsible, and begins an investigation which leads him into a dark and dangerous world of unethical politics and corporate conspiracy. Craven doesn’t know who killed his daughter, but he’s going to find out and they’re going to pay.


The Evidence
The plot may sound simple, and it is, but the film takes a somewhat different approach than you might expect. The trailers have attempted to portray Edge of Darkness as this year’s Taken — a surprise 2009 mega-hit — but it’s a much different sort of beast. Yes, this is a revenge thriller about a father attempting to hurt those who messed with his daughter, but the film is hardly a non-stop action fest. Instead, it’s a moody, slow-burning drama that gives its characters room to breathe and explore their feelings between the expected moments of punching and shooting.

The film is helmed by Martin Campbell, a director with an inconsistent career, capable of making terrific action flicks when he’s on his game. Edge of Darkness benefits from his knack for exciting sequences (there are several brief but tremendously effective moments of violence), but this is largely quieter territory. The film’s best moments are thoughtful scenes in which characters sit down and carefully explore the current scenario. Most have a tendency to speak in guarded code, hinting at much without ever really saying anything explicitly. Even Craven’s angry threats tend to be shrouded in metaphor; in one of the more iconic moments, a terse Gibson informs one character that, “You need to decide whether you’re hanging on the cross or banging in the nails.”

I’m particularly fond of the exchanges shared between Craven and Jedburgh (Ray Winstone, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). The latter plays one of those mysterious people with a knack for sneaking up behind you at the most unexpected moments. The details of what Jedburgh does and who he works for are somewhat non-specific, but we’re fairly certain that he and his employers are both dangerous. Jedburgh is not just a hired gun, but also a philosophical man and someone who appreciates the gravity of playing with the fate of other human beings. He may or may not be interested in killing Craven, but if he does he is not going to take that task lightly. There are two scenes in particular which add depth to the character: one in which we discover something about him that we didn’t know before, and another in which that discovery informs the most important decision he makes in the film.

Winstone’s superbly nuanced performance is perhaps the highlight of the film, acting-wise, but Gibson’s impressively weary turn isn’t far behind. Looking a little older and a lot more tired, Gibson’s acting is as good as it ever was, maybe better. His Boston accent sounded awkward in the trailers, but here it becomes fairly convincing. Grief and anger are two notes Gibson plays well, and this role offers him a potent mixture of both. Meanwhile, Danny Huston (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) continues to demonstrate his knack for playing sleazy villains, creating a character just begging to receive some nasty comeuppance.

I want to make note of Howard Shore’s score, which does a nice job of setting the grim, sad tone of the film and maintaining it throughout. This is subtly compelling stuff, with one terrific cue towards the end which underscores the violent climax as if it were a Shakespearean drama. It’s a bold choice that stands out sharply and might provoke laughter from some, but nearly inspired applause from yours truly.

Edge of Darkness is far from flawless. The plot is fairly conventional, and… well, frankly predictable. There are a handful of awkward moments which just don’t work as well as they ought to, and a scene where Mel discovers a piece of evidence that seems awfully contrived. I also have slightly mixed feelings about the somewhat touching but often hokey scenes in which Craven engages in hallucinatory conversations with his dead daughter.

Closing Statement
Problems aside, Edge of Darkness is an absorbing film with a refreshing amount of substance to go along with its more ordinary cinematic virtues. As for Mr. Gibson, as long as his work remains on this level, I’ll be happy to see him up on the big screen again.

The Verdict
7/10

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