D20th Century Fox and Hyde Park Entertainment present an R rated 110 minute dramatic thriller directed by James Wan and starring Kevin Bacon (Nick Hume), Garrett Hedlund (Billy Darley), Kelly Preston (Helen Hume), Jordan Garrett (Lucas Hume), Stuart Lafferty (Brendan Hume), Aisha Tyler (Detective Wallis), John Goodman (Bones Darley), Matt O'Leary (Joe Darley), Edi Gathegi (Bodie), Hector Atreyu Ruiz (Heco), Kanin J. Howell (Baggy), Dennis Keiffer (Jamie), Freddy Bouciegues (Tommy), Leigh Whannell (Spink) and Casey Pieretti (Dog).
What would you do if someone murdered your son in cold blood? What was at first thought to be a robbery at a local gas station was actually an initiation of Joe Darley into his brothers gang. The film draws you into camcorder shots of the family celebrating holidays together in a way to get you familiar with the love amongst the parents and two sons. Brendan, a prominent hockey player in high school has aspirations of going to school in Canada and playing for their hockey team.
But dreams are shattered when on the way home from a game Nick flashes his lights at two oncoming cars with their head lights out. When they come back at them playing cat and mouse Nick realizes he has low fuel and searches for a station as the cars pull away. Not too long after, the Hume family will never be the same. How does the human soul survive the horror of losing a son to such an unjust society, let alone broken system. No weapon, no surveillance cameras, no witness other than Nick to his son's death. So rather than letting the court system screw things up Nick decides to take matters in his own hands. An eye for an eye you might say leads Nick into an all out war with the gang.
Is revenge worth it or does it just get you deeper into trouble? This film definitely approaches the answers and brings out the inner emotions of the main characters in such a way that it makes you feel like you know them personally. Why does a parent blame them self for society's mistakes. The director takes you into the soul of the parents but also into the mind of grief stricken parent out for revenge.
Realistic and quite possible situations lead you on a foot chase for survival of self and family, shot with some amazingly raw camera angles which enhanced the story. There are moments you ask yourself, where are the police? After the threats become too much for Nick to handle he seeks the help of Detective Wallis. She warned him that if he started a war that it may be too late. Apparently so since the gang came after Nick's wife and younger son. When the human spirit is broken than the angry mindset steps in with one thought, kill or be killed.
Seeking guns from a local seller named Bones who happens to be very close to the gang members himself Nick purchases several weapons. Bones motto, money talks and several grand makes you a preferred customer no matter who you are and what your motive is. Let's just say the nut doesn't fall far from the tree! Nick now has walked over to the dark side, looking like a gang member himself which leads to an explosive shoot out in a fun house looking building minus the fun but plus the guns. In the end is anyone really ready to die?
The film was superbly written, directed, acted and scored with a bit over the top violence and criminal mischief that will keep you locked in to the plot from start to finish. Bacon achieved his evolutionary goal taking the viewers into the angry dark side of the soul. Preston was superb as the loving mother while the sons were a asset to the parents roles. Goodman although not often seen throughout the film was quite believable as the money hungry evil gun dealer who at one point you take a liking too. As for the gang members and their leading man Billy, they pulled off the bad ass roles of someone you'd rather see behind bars than on the streets of America. Violence has seen to taken over the big screen lately and for a well done dose mixed with disturbing bloody shoot out revengeful acts this film may be what you're looking for incorporating a great honest beginning, psychological middle and gruesome end.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.