Friday
29Jan2010
Movie Review - 'Edge of Darkness'
Friday, January 29, 2010 at 3:15AM | Edge of Darkness
Starring Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, and Danny Huston  |
Mel Gibson doesn't ask for your forgiveness. He lays bare his professional choices, his personal beliefs, and his disputed
comments from a DUI bust a couple of years ago. He doesn't ask forgiveness and the more people insist that he feels guilt about anything, the more
defiant he becomes.
That pugnacity serves Gibson well in Edge of Darkness, his first starring role in nearly a decade. His trademark intensity is back, and it's
no mistake that as a cop with nowhere to turn looks and acts like an aged Martin Riggs from Lethal Weapon.
The film itself is not completely up to Gibson's standard - fighting hard to squeeze in elements from a previous production of this story, a BBC
miniseries also directed by Martin Campbell - but it never drops below an acceptable level so that Gibson's work is not in vain. But Gibson is so
solid you do wish other key parts of the production were on par with its star.
And make no mistake: Mel Gibson is still a movie star. That's the thing about them, and they're rarer than the many flavors of the day would
suggest. Movie stars never lose "it," although "it" is not the same thing in each star. In Gibson's case, it is that immutable pain and torture he exhibits from within his characters, dangerously mingling with whatever else happens to be on the menu in a particular film, whether it's a practical joker, a sex symbol, or, seen here, a grieving father.
Reader Comments (4)
Your take on Mel Gibson's greatness as an actor is dead on. He has long been my favorite for the exact reasons you listed above. I hope this marks a return to the big screen for him. Bring on that Viking epic!
A question for you: What other living actors are in that "great" category with him?
Some that come to my mind: Russell Crowe, Johnny Depp, Edward Norton (who's become a little more miss that hit of late)
Rated PG?
Sorry about the PG. I had the wrong director, too. Leave me alone: I wrote this review at three in the morning. Very sleepy...
It's a very nice movie of the mel gibson. He playing good role in this movie.Great action in the movie..