Review: ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ does the two step
Law Abiding Citizen gets double-teamed
Back again, we have Philip Barrett, Reel Loop’s humble DVD & Blu-ray Editor and me, Erik, Reel Loop’s site chief. Today’s subject: Law Abiding Citizen
Philip: Endings often make or break a motion picture. Be it stupid logic or a dark film suddenly turning chipper, movies can send audiences home with a bad taste in their mouth. On the other side, flaws can often be forgiven if a film has an ending that is completely and utterly awesome. Enter Law Abiding Citizen, a film that has an ending completely well shot and looks awesome, but has one really gaping problem in terms of logistics and what the film itself establishes. Yet for one hundred and three minutes the film is fun, slick, and features a little bit of social commentary.
Erik: It’s easy to rail against the system. Especially the American system which actually allows people to rail against it, but it is much harder to pick a side and stick with it no matter the circumstances. That’s exactly the case with Law Abiding Citizen.
Is this film a treatise for the rehabilitation of a drunk legal system by any means necessary? Does it advocate victim’s rights? Acts I – II may suggest that but once the film moves into the third act, the switch changes abruptly and audiences find themselves on the side of defending the U.S. Constitution…but not really because throughout the finale, civil rights become a funny joke to mock routinely.
Philip: And that’s the one of the film’s biggest flaw. They have us going one way, and then switch gears because it suddenly feels guilty about what’s happened before. There’s also a geography problem that gives bigger holes than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen but there’s no need to delve into spoilers. The film is still worth seeing, if only because Butler is completely at home as Clyde Shelton.
Erik: The sheer absurdity is too much to handle and it taints everything in the film. If we can forget the ill-conceived plot for a moment, both Gerard Butler and Jaime Foxx –who is apparently slumming it in this film– phone-in their performances because even they can’t actually believe in this story.
Butler is at home because this character is right up his alley. The classic subdued madman. Break out the circular saw!
Philip: Is it conventional? Oh for sure, but I can buy the plot. It’s plausible in the grand scheme of things, especially for what they tell us about Butler’s character midway through the film. And hey, I loved the circular saw bit.
Philip..you’re my man!!!! Right on!!! I loved “law Abiding Citizen,” and I think that Gerard Butler did an Oscar-worthy performance…(Erik…you’re such a lame excuse for a critique-giver!) What amazes me is that mostmovies make the viewer suspend disbelief…why are you, Erik, picking on this one? It kept me riveted throughout, and I even liked it so much that I went vack twice more, taking friends with me. It had a fast pacd, and each time I went, the shock with the cellphone bit and the judge made the audience jump out of their seats and gasp or scream. I only wish that Clyde had gotten away somehow so that there could be a sequel. This movie had escapism as well as thought-provoking commentary about our justice system. The fact that it has made 40 some million in two weeks is enough testament to its enjoyment for the audiences. (I also loved “The Ugly Truth” which got battered by critics, but it has amassed 191 million internationally so far, and it hasn’t opened in Asia yet.) Critics such as Erik are jaded, and follow the Emperor’s New Clothes of going along with other “highbrow” critics. That reminds me of television critics who love “The Office”, “30 Rock”,and other shows that the people don’t really like ..only the so-called critics. One critic from the Chicago Tribute, a movie critic, said that “Where…wild Things” was one of the best movies of the year. Huh? Phillip..keep on writing and reviewing…kErik? Go back to your day job…(You probably loved “Let Thre Be Blood”,too. What a horrible boring, depressing, annoying film that was.)
Whoa…you're going to have to settle down there, sport.
Boo, if I can call you that, you seemed to have confused a "good" movie with a "successful" movie, at least when it comes to box office earnings. Was it enjoyable for the majority of people that went to watch this film? Yes. Of course. Usually people enjoy the movies they want to see…but stating that Gerard Butler gave an Oscar-worthy performance is ludicrous. Even Butler fans have their limits.
"What amazes me is that mostmovies make the viewer suspend disbelief…why are you, Erik, picking on this one?"
Well, Boo, it's simply because "Law Abiding Citizen" did NOT make me suspend disbelief. In fact, that pesky sense of reality just kept gnawing at me. Boo, even with the ending, you still considered it all plausible? That's my hangup, I admit, but if the film doesn't manage to let some viewers into their world then that film is a failure for that viewer. For you it was great and I'm glad you found pleasure in it. I'm not going to insult you about your opinion.
I agree with you on the cell phone scene.
Also, "The Office" and "30 Rock" are terrific shows which "people" thoroughly enjoy. If they didn't watch it, it would be off the air. It's a business.
I'm curious, what " thought-provoking commentary" did the movie have on our justice system? That it's broken? It's nothing new.
I appreciate your reply and I'm glad Philip's views resonate with you.
I'm with you, Boo.
There was a commentary, but this film more straightforward than say ROBOCOP.
I actually see where Erik is coming from, but there's no need to insult him guys. I sure didn't insult every single person who didn't love WATCHMEN like I do.