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Death Sentence (2007)
Director: James Wan
Movie review
From Time Out New York
James Wan, director of the first Saw, unconvincingly enters the realm of human emotions with this Death Wish–like revenger about a family man (Bacon) reaping gang violence after he goes vigilante on the thug who randomly killed his son. Scenes of mourning are swaddled in syrupy music, a sign of insecure directing. Meanwhile, the film just wants to kick some punk ass, which it does, gorily, in an extended, catastrophic third act. Between Death Sentence and Saw’s Jigsaw killer, it’s tempting to view Wan as an especially tiresome moralist.Author: Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out New York Issue 623: September 6–12, 2007
User reviews of this film
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- STEWART DAWSON said...
- Posted on Sep 13 2007 08:49 KEVIN BACON HASNT MADE A GOOD FILM SINCE DINER.
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- sally said...
- Posted on Sep 12 2007 08:04 Sadly, this fails. the documented psycholgical breakdown that should have preceded Bacons killing spree is absent and therefore the film is unconvincing as the character has no edge or credibility. It also explains why we dont see much of Kelly Preston.
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- dee edmonds said...
- Posted on Sep 07 2007 15:43 lostock r mug mans
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- Frank said...
- Posted on Sep 05 2007 12:37 Wibble
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- Me said...
- Posted on Sep 05 2007 11:43 Have a wash !!!
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- rupert said...
- Posted on Sep 05 2007 11:22 i smell
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- Elliott UCL man said...
- Posted on Sep 04 2007 19:39 This is not a family movie - it's bloody as hell and blacker than a redundant coal mine. It's theme owes a lot to films like Death Wish but with 21st Century production values. Kevin Bacon plays lead with convincing realism. A 2007 must see cinema great.
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- Pete said...
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Posted on Sep 04 2007 19:28
Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) is a Fortune 500 VP who spends his days analaysing risk in a risky world. When being in the wrong place at the wrong time results in the gang slaying of his son Lucas (Jordan Garret) Nick is faced with the prospect of the killer plea bargaining a 2 to 3 year desultory sentence; Nick decides to seek an approriate form of revenge that lets loose a maelstrom of blood letting, executed with truly gritty realism by Director James Wan.
This is Death Wish with style and panache - and despite heart wrenching disasters for the Hume family there are strong strands of very funny black humour running through the whole film. When Nick buys a cartload of ammo and high powered weaponary, from Bones Darley (John Goodman, always a superb villian), Bones lets him secure the deal because Nick's a cash payer - even though Nick intends to kill Bones' son.
This is great entertainment with Oscar winning ways for making Kevin Bacon really look like he's had a few too many rounds with Mike Tyson. You'll wince over every bruise, cut and bullet wound on Bacon's body.
Don't let this film pass you by. - Report as inappropriate
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- x_ElLa_x said...
- Posted on Sep 04 2007 16:36 Its An 18 if anyone who was wonderin like me i just found out :P
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- James Mc said...
- Posted on Sep 03 2007 19:21 Distasteful and boring. I am a lover of fast moving films with intriguing twists - Fracture is a must see - this film is turkey...your better off waiting for the DVD (once reduced as an ex-rental for £1) - what a waste of money.
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- George Peates said...
- Posted on Sep 03 2007 18:07 Not as bad as the first reviewer writes but a tad slow in parts. Wife enjoyed more than I did
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- whoknows? said...
- Posted on Sep 03 2007 12:27 what rating is the film
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- Alan said...
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Posted on Sep 03 2007 09:37
What a weak movie. It was quite a good idea, although not quite original. The longer the film lasted, the characters and the film became more frustrating.
I am not sure what direction the movie was supposed to go in, by the end of the movie it was almost a pathetic comedy.
I didn't learn anything new and would have been better saving my money and buying Payback on DVD. - Report as inappropriate
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- Ghizlane said...
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Posted on Sep 03 2007 01:00
Great Movie with a great story that will be enjoyed both by guys and girls alike, great emotional tale as well as great action.
The best movie I have seen in years. Kevin Bacon is a brilliant actor. Highly recommended, if you miss this you have missed the best movie of 2007. - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: James Wan
Producer: Ashok Amritraj
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Kelly Preston, John Goodman, Aisha Tyler, Stuart Lafferty, Garrett Hedlund, Matt O'Leary, Leigh Whannell full cast
Duration: 110 mins
UK Release: Aug 31 2007
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