Law Abiding Citizen

            Sometimes you come across a film that you watch simply because it is there, and it turns out to be pretty dang good. Law Abiding Citizen is such a film. The first time I watched this was completely on a whim because it had been rented at my house and I sat down because I was not planning on doing anything else. Well, I am glad that I did because this not only ended up having a fantastic screenplay and pace to it, but it is also the best performance I have seen Gerard Butler give, and Jamie Foxx was no slouch in this either. There is a lot to love about this film. It is crafted well, polished, keeps you engaged, and the actors deliver some great performances. There is one big issue that people have with this film, as do I, but we will save that for later. For now, let us talk about the plot, and what the film does right.

            This film gets off to a running start. You are treated to a lovely opening of Butler’s character, Clyde Shelton, having a nice evening with his wife and young daughter. Immediately things take a turn for the worse as a home invasion involving two criminals results in the losses of Shelton’s wife and daughter. This scene is heart wrenching. It brings up a too real fear for anyone who has a family, or even anyone who lives alone and is afraid that one day they may suffer a similar fate. This scene sets up the stakes for the film, but also provides very clear motivation for what happens next. Shelton meets prosecuting attorney Nick Rice, played by Jamie Foxx, who cuts a deal with one of the home invaders for a reduced sentence if he testifies at court. Shelton is justifiably upset at this and starts to find himself questioning the system that is supposedly in place to help him. Shelton decides to take matters into his own hands and brutally murders Clarence Darby, the criminal who walked, in a truly brutal yet satisfying scene, and considering the clear motive, is subsequently arrested, and interrogated by Rice. This is where the real fun begins in the film, as we are treated to the true plot and struggle of the film, the battle between Shelton and Rice. Rice must find a way to get Shelton to confess to the murder, while Shelton is hell bent on exploiting a system to show how broken it truly is, and the end results are non-stop action, suspense, and excitement.

            Once you get to the mental battle between Rice and Shelton, the film becomes incredibly suspenseful. Suddenly, anybody can die at any given moment, and nobody is off limits. This film has a great pace to it. Each moment carries onto the next one well and nothing feels rushed or unnecessary. Shelton has clear motivation for his actions, and Rice is a man simply doing his job while trying to provide for his family. The true struggle of this film, though, revolves around the two leads. We are pushed into accepting Rice as the protagonist of the film, but they give us many more reasons for why we should root for Shelton. He is a father who lost his family and wanted revenge, which is something that is easy to get behind. For everything that the film did right, it completely got the roles of its leads wrong, and the film suffers greatly because of that. Despite this big flaw, the film is still one that is an entertaining watch that takes you for a suspenseful ride. Official Rating: 3 Stars