Movie Review: Edge of Darkness

Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Synopsis: Thomas Craven is a veteran homicide detective for the Boston Police Department and a single father. When his only child, 24-year-old Emma, is murdered on the steps of his home, everyone assumes that he was the target. But he soon suspects otherwise, and embarks on a mission to find out about his daughter's secret life and her killing. His investigation leads him into a dangerous looking-glass world of corporate cover-ups, government collusion and murder -- and to shadowy government operative Darius Jedburgh who has been sent in to clean up the evidence. Craven's solitary search for answers about his daughter's death transforms into an odyssey of emotional discovery and redemption.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts
Directed by: Martin Campbell
U.S. Rating: R

Mel Gibson is back after being away from the big screen for more than 5 years and let me tell you, he's still the good actor we all have enjoyed all these years. He's obviously getting old, his wrinkles can't hide his age anymore, but his talent has been kept intact.

Edge of Darkness brings the story of Detective Thomas Craven, from Boston Police Department. His daughter Emma has decided to visit him and maybe come back home and stay with him. The night they arrive from the train station, Emma starts bleeding and throwing up and they urge to go to the doctor. Right at the moment when Craven and Emma stepped out of the house, an unknown man screams his last name and shots Emma with a shotgun, killing her. Being a detective, Craven takes advantage of his resources and knowledge and works on the case of his daughter's murder aside the formal investigation. He starts putting all the pieces together and with the help of some key people involved with Emma, he will discover that his daughter was working for a secure nuclear site, found some critical information and was trying to find the way to reveal this important information considered highly classified for national security reasons. She was treated as a terrorist and for this reason, was killed, among other people. Craven keeps working on the case until he finds the responsible of the plan, the one who killed his daughter and with the help of a secret agent, kills everyone else related with these murders and case.

Edge of Darkness is the kind of film I DO love and enjoy watching over and over again. The kind of thriller and suspense that will capture your attention and will keep you in your seat throughout all the film without losing the attention to all the details and mystery. As I read in one of the comments and good criticisms made of this film: It is so good that in a time when most of the films released (and to be released) are mainly focused on their great CGI, 3D, monsters and allien contents... we can sit, relax and enjoy what is, essentially, a good old, well act plot and story.

With no doubt, it is one of those films that I will recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller and suspense film. Being directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, Goldeneye, etc), we can't expect less than a good action film.

What did I like from this movie?

1. Great cast for the film. It was not just Mel Gibson's performance, but the rest of the cast (Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, etc)
2. Good and entertaining plot
3. Great direction

What did I dislike from this movie?

1. There were just a couple of details that I really didn't find "real" on this film: The first one, when the girl is killed and Detective Whitehouse arrives to Craven's house and there were akk these people, cops, etc., in the kitchen eating and drinking coffee like it was a social reunion! And the second one, that a simple cop is able to reach to the top of a secure nuclear site organization without facing the standard bureaucracy. Other than that... I totally enjoyed this film!

I would rate this movie with a 4/5


What did you like or dislike from this movie? What would you rate this movie?


Enjoy it!... Watch it!

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