Review: Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

[Steve Rhodes]

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ** 1/2

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, by director F. Gary Gray (BE COOL), is a very gory, 
revenge thriller that never loses your interest even if its preposterous 
plot usually requires a generous suspension of disbelief.  But for all of 
the promises of the narrative, which is filled with many genuine twists and 
shocks, the overall result is surprising flat.

As the story starts, we meet cocksure prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), 
who, of course, brags about his conviction rate -- 96%.  Gerard Butler, who 
manages to disappoint in almost of his performances, plays Clyde Shelton, a 
crime victim who is filled with outrage and palpable anger.  Nick is about 
to cut a deal, which will mean only one of the two criminals who slaughtered 
Clyde's wife and daughter before his eyes will be executed.  "It's not what 
you know," Nick calmly explains to Clyde about the plea bargain he has 
arranged with one of the murderers.  "It's what you can prove in court."

Cut to ten years later, when we find out that Pennsylvania appears to be one 
of the few states in the nation that actually puts to death people who are 
sentenced to death.  With one criminal out on bail and with one about to be 
given a lethal injection, Clyde starts springing his diabolical and 
outlandish schemes to bring retribution to everyone in the judicial system 
that he feels wronged him. The list appears to approach something like 
infinity.

Eventually Clyde becomes "safely" entombed in solitary confinement in a 
secure prison facility, but even that will not stop his "biblical" 
retribution on the outside world.  As the warden reluctantly agrees to 
Clyde's whimsical demands -- a better bed, a prime steak and an iPod -- so 
that Clyde will not kill people, it appears that either Clyde must have an 
accomplice on the outside or he must have some superhuman smarts.

As the body count mounts, will Nick be able to stop Clyde's non-stop 
devastation?  While not giving anything away, one can assume that Clyde will 
not be successful in depopulating the planet before someone figures out what 
he is doing.  And, since Foxx has an Academy Award and his character does 
have that 96% conviction rate, it is probably a safe bet that Nick will 
survive and be the salvation that rescues the world from the Wrath of Clyde.

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN runs 1:48.  It is rated R for "strong bloody brutal 
violence and torture, a scene of rape, and pervasive language" and would be 
acceptable for teenagers and older.

The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 16, 2009. 
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Cinemark 
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.

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Email: Steve.Rhodes at InternetReviews.com

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