Blu-Ray Review: ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ Guilty of Incessant Gimmickry

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CHICAGO – 2009 was a very bad year for Gerard Butler. He has the potential to be one of the most appealing actors in Hollywood, but like Hugh Jackman, he’s usually cast in roles that sap him of all his inherent charisma, such as the obnoxious misogynist in “The Ugly Truth” or the tormented prisoner in “Gamer.” Yet while both of those films were tortuously awful, “Law Abiding Citizen” at least has the germ of a good idea.

It starts like any standard vigilante drama, with a photogenic everyman falling victim to a home invasion that kills off his family. The devastated man, Clyde Shelton (Butler), becomes enraged when prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) fails to bring both of the killers to justice. A plea bargain sends one to death row, and the other back onto the streets. Ten years later, Clyde decides to take the law into his own hands. This subject matter has been explored countless times before, though no film has been able to match the power of Todd Field’s “In The Bedroom.” Yet “Law Abiding Citizen” has a twist up its sleeve…

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

After offing the killers in spectacularly grisly fashion, Clyde uses the flaws of the justice system to his advantage. The film’s best moment occurs early on, when Clyde is about to be acquitted purely on the basis of inconclusive evidence (the same reason his family’s killer was sent free), prompting him to ask the judge, “How misguided are you?” The anger and outrage in this scene resonate on a very real level, with Butler reminding viewers just how good of an actor he can be. Unfortunately, the script by Kurt Wimmer (“Equilibrium”) only pretends to be about ideas, when it’s really just interested in gimmicks.

Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx star in F. Gary Gray’s Law Abiding Citizen.
Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx star in F. Gary Gray’s Law Abiding Citizen.
Photo credit: Anchor Bay Entertainment

It doesn’t take Clyde long to send Nick an ominous ultimatum: either fix the system or ‘I’ll kill everyone’ connected with the botched trial. See, Clyde isn’t just any old wronged man itching to teach the law a lesson. He’s a mastermind of murder with more gadgets than a Bond villain and more elaborate death traps than the “Saw” killer. Director F. Gary Gray (“Friday,” “The Negotiator”) seems all too eager to please, aiming to elicit cheap laughs and cheers from his audience. In the disc’s special features, Gray says that he wanted the audience to be faced with questions about the moral ambiguity of his characters’ actions. Yet the film shamelessly manipulates audience sympathy every step of the way.

Law Abiding Citizen was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on February 16th, 2010.
Law Abiding Citizen was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on February 16th, 2010.
Photo credit: Anchor Bay Home Entertainment

For the first half, the viewer is meant to root for Clyde as he commits his increasingly preposterous acts of vengeance, leading to lame death gags that seem recycled out of “Final Destination.” But the tables turn when two key characters begin sharing meaningful moments with Nick, while teaching him that justice is more important than a high conviction rate. These people exist simply to be sympathetic victims of the seemingly indestructible Clyde, who starts spouting malicious catchphrases like, “I’m just getting warmed up!” There are no dull moments in this thriller, but there aren’t any credible ones either. It’s a classic example of what happens when intelligence and common sense are sacrificed in the name of mindless entertainment value.

“Law Abiding Citizen” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio), and includes both the theatrical version and the unrated director’s cut, which offers a more lingering view of the bloody carnage. Producers Lucas Foster and Alan Siegel provide lively commentary over the theatrical cut, and discuss their methods for making the film more of a crowd-pleaser, and less a commentary about the warped “politics of the justice system.” The sole enlightening extra is a brief featurette where law experts explain controversial legal principles such as the exclusionary rule. Of course, their analysis of the film only extends to its promising premise, rather than its dismal execution. There’s also fifteen minutes of behind the scenes footage primarily consisting of actors goofing off. One of the oddest images is that of Butler laughing at rushes, as if he’s making a comedy (maybe he thought he was).

‘Law Abiding Citizen’ is released by Anchor Bay Entertainment and stars Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb, Michael Irby, Regina Hall and Viola Davis. It was written by Kurt Wimmer and directed by F. Gary Gray. It was released on February 16th, 2010. The theatrical cut is rated R.

HollywoodChicago.com staff writer Matt Fagerholm

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

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