Edge of Darkness

Edge of Boredom

[Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston]

As I sat in the darkened theater I made a realization. Have you ever wondered if you would ever see a pronounced shift in the reality of the world? I have. If one breath in, I acknowledged that Gibson was a great director for "Apocalypto", wondering how the "Road Warrior" had the talent in him. With the same breath out, I saw that Mel Gibson's target demographic has changed from action star to old man. No disrespect to Mel, all actor's go through it. Eastwood, Hanks, Seagal to name a few. But they all (except Seagal, of course) make the change with grace.

SYNOPSIS:  Boston cop, Thomas Kraven, devastated by the brutal slaying of his daughter in his home, becomes embroiled in a conspiracy larger than just a simple murder. The government, a private defense contractor, and a freelance "cleaner" agent add to the intrigue.

Martin Campbell's direction for the film starts fast. From there it gets mired in a slow plot and lackluster action sequences. That is not to say that the acting was not good, because it was. Gibson, Winstone and Huston shore up a story that may not have stood otherwise.

Mel Gibson plays his typical "take action" character, trying to track down what his daughter was involved in and why she was killed. He plays the "man with nothing to lose" with his usual zeal, adding a believable Boston accent to the mix. Even as an aging action hero, Gibson gets the job done, physically and emotionally.

Ray Winstone plays "Jedburgh", an agent charged by the government to look into the death of Kraven's daughter as well as the three deaths of members of "Night Flower" who tried to infiltrate a private defense contractor facility. Jedburgh is secretive of his own life as well as his assignments and skill set. Winstone plays the character with a hint of arrogance and sadness. 

Danny Huston's Jack Bennett is close to his protrayal of Col. William Stryker from the "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" movie. He is slick, poised and every bit a suited shark. That's why no one trusts the chairman of a private defense contractor.

The action is uneven and a bit slow at times, but there are some good "gotcha" moments, and a couple of good gun fights at the end with Gibson and with Winstone. This movie is no "Taken" and Campbell was better with his entries in the 007 canon, but this film is still viewable.

Worth: Netflix