Hors de contrôle

This one surprised me, because I had seen very little advertising or hype for this movie. My friend and I watched the trailer and I thought, "Eh, kinda looks like another 'Taken' or 'Death Sentence.' I'm so glad I was wrong.

This is not another "father goes on rampage to kill the guy that kidnapped/murdered his child." It's actually a very involved thriller that has a fair few twists and turns around a conspiracy Gibson's daughter was involved in. Gibson actually does not go all gung-ho like Neeson did; rather, he was very careful in his investigations. His performance was brilliant, as was Ray Winstone's, though I found myself wishing he had a bit more screen time.

The pacing is pretty quick in some places, so it keeps you interested. Sometimes the plot may be a little convoluted, but it makes sense if one pays enough attention.

Also, I should note that there isn't nearly as much action as the trailer makes it seem. There is FAR more drama, though it's still plenty tense.

First movie of 2010 I've seen, and it's off to a great start. "Edge of Darkness" is well worth it, and certainly not the movie its advertising makes it out to be. Go see it, you won't regret it.

Before seeking revenge, dig two graves so said Confucious. Likewise, before casting a movie about revenge, see if Mel Gibson is available. Few actors are capable of being as angry as he can (both on and off screen). Over the last decade, Mel Gibson has been behind the camera more times than he has been in front of it. Perhaps his ten years absence of screen presence is what makes the film so good. Otherwise it is a fairy conventional cop thriller, which builds in convoluted-ness and unbelievability, but it never gets dull, I'll say that much. Frankly that, and Gibson's performance are enough for me.

Boston PD Detective Tom Craven's daughter visits him from out of town one day, That evening she is shot dead on the porch. At first the police figure that Tom was the intended target, but once be begins a little investigation of his own, strange things come up. It appears that his daughter was trying to expose something illegal about the Nuclear facility at which she was working. Suddenly Tom finds himself in the middle of a very dangerous game.

Mel Gibson's performance is exceptional, but then again, it is easy to argue that this not exactly new ground for him. Mel Gibson's most common face is the 'Good Man, Bad Guy' persona. Second billing is

here is Ray Winstone, whose performance here is his best yet. The screen time that the two share together is not long but it is profound and compelling.

Unless you really hate Mel Gibson's guts, Edge of Darkness is a good watch, and an equally good return to the screen for him.

Some people have bagged out this icon, but his performance in this movie was as good as ever. It was convincing, honest, and true to script.

I worked with Mel on this movie so feel that any review I give will be biased - reviews are best left to the viewers, after all, they are the ones who determine its success or failure - but I can assure you he was the ultimate professional - his career has many years left!

Bad reviews are of course as welcome as positive ones - as long as they are constructive - they are an avenue not only for others to ascertain the value of a movie but also an avenue for those involved to learn and improve (as well as gather praise where praise is due) - but I would highly recommend you see this one and make up your own mind. It is highly relevant to the current economic stasis in this country and a hint of what may be behind the scenes.

This movie was a huge surprise. I don't ever remember seeing it come through the movie theaters. So glad I found it and watched it via our "On Demand" option at home.

I don't see enough Mel Gibson these days. I think he may have been blacklisted in Hollywood but he is still tops in my book.

I am not going to spoil the movie for anyone but will say I was REALLY captivated with this one. It grabbed my attention and kept throwing in some neat twists. This is a movie for those of us who enjoy using our mind and understanding the nuance the directors/writers invest for our enjoyment! If you haven't watched this one you need to. :)

I won't say anything about the plot except that it's centered around an "everyman" who goes on a revenge odyssey. In that respect it reminds me of the excellent "Harry Brown" released a year eariler with Michael Caine packing some artillery. But Edge of Darkness differs from the rest with its interesting layered story.

As "Tom Craven" (Mel Gibson) peels away the truth, so we also get wrapped up in the complexity of this story which touches on political thriller, tenuous loyalties, and--most intriguing--a mysterious character "Jedburgh" (Ray Winstone) who sips whiskey and smokes cigars with our hero, but (as our hero is fully aware) could at any minute put a bullet through his head.

And what's the point of all this madness? The point, or subtle theme underneath all the rollercoaster action, is that each individual must make his or her own choice to act independently. That sentence may not make much sense to you reading it in a review, but trust me it's what drives this story. Returning back to what I said about politics and tenuous loyalties, this story is about reaching that point where you break from the predictable and act on your own. Or as a memorable line in the film goes, "you had better decide whether you're hanging on the cross, or banging in the nails."