Movie Title: Death Sentence

Director: James Wan

Rated: South Korea:18 / Germany:18 / Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) / Netherlands:16 / USA:R / Taiwan:R-18 / UK:18 / Singapore:M18 / Ireland:18 / Hong Kong:IIB

Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller

Runtime: 110 Minutes

Viewed: Sitting in my chair in front of the TV

Trailer:


Synopsis: Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) is a mild-mannered executive with a perfect life, until one gruesome night he witnesses something that changes him forever. Transformed by grief, Hume eventually comes to the disturbing conclusion that no length is too great when protecting his family.

Opinion: Okie Dokie...hot on the heels of The Brave One comes another "revenge" movie, but to be perfectly honest, as much as I like Jodie Foster, this one was more up my street with more action and violence in it.

Starring Kevin Bacon, who I think for the most part is pretty much always a good actor, picks a dodgy project now and then, but which actor doesn't? And again he delivers a solid performance here as the Father that witnesses the murder of his eldest son and is convincing in portraying the general breakdown of the Father fuelled, in part, by frustration at the justice system.

But if you decide to watch this movie, don't go in to it expecting anything other than an out and out revenge movie, as that is what it is. It's based on the book of the same name written by Brian Garfield, which was a direct sequel to the movie Death Wish, it's just brought up to date with a modern setting and a modern gang.

It has solid supporting roles from Kelly Preston & John Goodman, although I do think they could have used Goodman a little more. Aisha Tyler also stars as Detective Wallis but to be honest for what good her character does, she may as well have not been in the movie at all.

Plot wise...well what can I tell you?? It's a revenge movie. If you expect people chasing people, people shooting people and a fair splattering of blood thrown in with a dash of injustice then you won't go far wrong.

What let's the movie down in places are some glaring issues that I'm sure won't spoil the movie if I tell you them here, but they include the likes of the police being totally inept. For example in one scene two police officers are murdered in a squad car, the police know who did it yet nothing whatsoever is done about it. And the whole transformation of Bacon's character from office worker to vigilante, while acted quite well, is a little rushed and the fact that he leaves hospital after having been shot to go on a gun toting rampage and manages to do so by popping an aspirin or two stretches belief just a little. Some of the dialogue is more than a little cheesy as well.

But all in all, it ran almost 2 hours and I didn't feel that I#d just sat through a 2 hour movie. It keeps you watching even though, for the most part, you already know what's coming. Check your brain in at the door, don't nit pick and just enjoy the acting and the violence and you'll be fine.


Acting (Scale from 1 to 5):

Story/Plot (Scale from 1 to 5):

My Overall Rating (Scale from 1 to 5):