Don’t push him ‘cause he’s close to the edge

Mel Gibson is a good guy gone badass

By Sarah Bungay

Edge of Darkness

Starring Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts, Denis O’Hare, and Jay O. Sanders

108 mins

Rated 14A

By Sarah Bungay

When someone’s grieving, we usually feel a sense of sorrow and pity. This is the case for sympathetic character Thomas Craven (Gibson), a Boston homicide detective who witnesses the murder of his only child.

We watch his initial shock within the few seconds that it takes for her to get blown away. We then witness his emotional unravelling throughout the movie as he tries to track down his daughter’s murderer.

Not only does he struggle with this difficult investigation, but he also comes to realize that Emma (Novakovic) is not the little girl he thought he knew.

Under the assumption that Craven was the intended murder target, the Boston police search previous records for signs of detective enemies.

However, as Craven learns the secrets of Emma’s life as an intern for an evil government corporation, he is lead to believe that the death of his daughter is due to something he hadn’t expected, something beyond what a vengeful parolee with a handgun could possibly accomplish.

As the reasons behind Emma’s murder become clear, the detective uncovers a shocking government conspiracy.

From then on, we watch Craven’s attempt to mend his broken heart and, with the help of secret operative Darius Ledburgh (Winstone), put a stop to this national violation while scaring the crap out of anyone he believed to be involved.

Gibson, who has been away from the acting scene for seven years, has no trouble jumping back into his action movie star shoes.

His performance, along with cast member Ray Winstone, reveals a likeable and undeniable screen presence. They are faced with the difficult choice between doing what is right, and doing what is easy.

They bravely choose the first of the two, and in doing so inflict some rather graphic bloodshed. Gibson gives an excellent demonstration of a grieving father who is having trouble coping between work and his personal life, giving the movie a serious tone in which Gibson contrasts with his usual rather witty comments as seen in the Lethal Weapon series. It also wouldn’t be a Mel Gibson movie if it did not have at least a few kick ass action sequences.

Directed by Martin Campbell, who also directed Casino Royale, I had very high expectations for this film.

This revenge thriller’s intricate storyline is as close to perfect as any narrative can get in a mainstream film. The only thing that seems to be lacking is any romantic factor. Edge Of Darkness is undoubtedly captivating. In true Gibson fashion, his performance will keep you on the edge of your dark seat.

3 out of 4 stars

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