Seen on: October 16, 2009

The players: Director: F. Gary Gray, Writer: Kurt Wimmer, Cast: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb

Facts of interest: None.

The plot: After one of the men who killed his family gets a light prison sentence, a desperate widower heads out to fix the justice system.

Our thoughts: F. Gary Gray’s new thriller “Law Abiding Citizen” is a totally crazy film, but it’s not necessarily a disastrous experience. It’s pretty much as over-the-top as a big-screen experience in this genre can get, and while it’s certainly entertaining, it fails to deliver the kind of intense payoff I expected.

Starting with the story line, it’s actually not that bad. Gerard Butler plays Clyde Shelton, an ordinary guy whose life takes a dramatic turn when two criminals break into his home and brutally murder his wife and little daughter. The two killers eventually end up in police custody, but they don’t really get what they deserve.

Overseeing the case is Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a successful prosecutor who’s forced into making a shocking deal that gives one of the murderers a light sentence as long as he testifies against his accomplice. For Clyde, however, one man on death row is not enough. He wants complete justice, and he’s willing to do anything to get it.

Fast-forward 10 years, and the killer who got off with a short prison term suddenly ends up dead. Clyde is obviously the prime suspect, and Nick believes he can close this case in no time. Easier said than done, because Clyde threatens to kill everyone involved in the previous trial unless Nick gives in to his unusual demands…

I know it’s sounds rather complicated, but it’s tough to sum this up without revealing too much. So, in order to make it easy enough to understand, here is the shorter plot description: Butler’s character thinks the justice system sucks, so he heads out and stops at nothing to bring it all down for good.

“Law Abiding Citizen” is a completely far-fetched thriller filled with implausible twists and developments, but I admit it still managed to keep me entertained for a little more than 100 minutes. Gray definitely delivers a fast-paced film here, and I even would go as far and call the plot partly intense.

That said, the movie is still a tad too monotonous for my taste, especially because Butler spends pretty much every second onscreen reminding us that the U.S. justice system is flawed and corrupted. Nick, on the other hand, takes forever until he finally figures out Clyde’s master plan and his real intentions.

I cannot help but repeat that “Law Abiding Citizen” is completely ridiculous, but as long as you’re willing to suspend your disbelief, you may actually find it easy to enjoy the film’s action-packed sequences. The lead performances by Butler and Foxx work as well, but most of the dialogue they share failed to capture my attention.

“Citizen” also features a solid dose of gruesome sequences, and even though I have no problems watching bloody murders on the big screen, some of these scenes felt a little out of place in my book. Then again, they certainly succeed in shocking audiences. And yeah… they obviously couldn’t be more implausible

Freaky quote: "You're the one who makes deals with murders, yeah? Well I've come to make mine." – Gerard Butler

The final word: In an attempt not to repeat myself to often, I will wrap this up right now. “Law Abiding Citizen” boasts decent entertainment throughout, but other than that, it’s still a forgettable thriller you better don’t take too seriously. Oh, and in case you didn’t get it: the justice system in the U.S. really, really stinks.

Article by Franck Tabouring