|
 Law Abiding Citizen is a somewhat outlandish thriller but I liked it. It was well-acted and carried out its sometimes silly plot with conviction. Ah, conviction, an operative word in Law Abiding Citizen.
The film stars Jaimie Foxx as a prosecuting attorney Nick Rice. However, before we even get to know rice, we witness a brutal crime. Gerard Butler is Clyde Shelton, a man opening the door to his house when he is hit square in the face with a baseball bat. His wife is then raped and murdered. He somehow lives. Later, Nick Rice is prosecuting the thugs that murdered his family and to ensure his 96-percent conviction rate, cuts a deal to send one of the accused to death row while the other gets a lesser degree murder rape rap. Rice assures Shelton this is their only option because the case is not air tight. After all, since Shelton passed out his testimony will be of no help. Shelton is furious and he fumes. Cut to ten years later. Rice is enjoying the success of his career. Shelton, meanwhile, launches into a scheme to kill the man who killed his family. How this is done is quite gruesome and shows us that Shelton, despite our sympathy for him, clearly is wiling to go overboard in exacting his revenge. Okay, I will tell you: he dismembers Darby, one of the men responsible for killing his family. Only he does it by first injecting him with Puffer fish toxin that keeps him alert yet paralyzed. Darby awakes to fin himself strapped to a table. Shelton then pumps adrenaline into him intravenously so the man will not pass out as his limbs are being removed. Is he happy now? No. How he seeks revenge on the entire justice system, which includes Rice. Slowly Shelton is able to kill many people in the justice system, including attorneys, judges, legal counsel and inmates, all from his jail cell. After all, he let himself be caught. Is Rice next? Is he saving him for last? Perhaps. Nevertheless, Rice is going to fight back. In his way are several clever ploys on the part of Shelton to kill basically the whole justice department. Or, are these ideas merely over the top? I mean Shelton employs a drone to kill a bunch of people at a funeral. Plus, Shelton is seemingly is the toughest guy that ever lived. We learn why - at least plausibly why in Law Abiding Citizen he is so tough. He is ex-CIA, trained to kill people with unorthodox ways. Okay. I'll buy that. But, jeez, how come we are still fighting in Afghanistan with guys like Shelton on our side? I mean he can literally kill an entire governmental arm all from within his jail cell? Yet, can't get all those enemies in Afghanistan? I won't harp on the incredible chain of events that must go precisely right so Shelton can carry out his revenge. I will say that law Abiding Citizen is a well done and well acted thriller. It's a film where since the actors believe what they are doing, we do too. A bit over the top, yes, but I was entertained and bad guys were killed creatively. Isn't that what CoolFilmz.com is all about? Wait a second... I think there is a drone parked around the corner.
|
