With the underrated Kevin Bacon ("The Woodsman") in the starring role and James Wan, maker of the original "Saw", in the director's chair, "Death Sentence" is a cut above the standard revenge thriller. Made for a specific audience and with a gritty bitterness to it, this film may lack the mass appeal of other action thrillers, but for those fans of seedy underworld films, with legitimate acting and superior cinematography, this film may be for you.
Bacon is Nick Hume, a married father of two boys, who begins the film driving his oldest son home from a hockey game. They get into a bad part of town, looking for the freeway, and have to stop for gas at a run-down convenience store. A gang suddenly shows up and tries to rob the store, and Bacon's son is mortally wounded during the melee. Wracked by guilt and unsatisfied with the approach of the justice system, the father takes the law into his own hands and tracks his son's killer down. The repercussions of this decision, as the rest of the street gang put a death sentence on this middle-class businessman's head, jeopardizes his life and that of the rest of his family.
The trauma and shock of the beginning scene, as Bacon sees his son brutally attacked, sets the stage for the rest of the movie. The film successfully plays to the middle-class suburban fear of inner-city street culture. While the original set-up may be an over-used cliché, it does get across the father's inability to help and the ensuing guilt afterwards. The action sequences - especially a sidewalk to parking garage chase - feel legitimate and well thought out. It is noticeable that Wan is calling the shots in the making of this film - as seen from the occasional gory death scenes - but he does not overwhelm the movie with his horror pedigree.
There is a choice mid-way through the film, which seems poorly conceived and leads to a shocking and upsetting outcome. The question as to whether this sequence was necessary does arise, but doesn't take away from the overall thrust of the film. The use of a legitimate actor in the starring role was a good choice, as Bacon gives a powerful performance as a man who slowly descends into becoming a hardened thug himself. Seeing him transition from remorseful father to vengeance seeking vigilante, in one scene alone, proves that Bacon has incredible emotional range. John Goodman ("Evan Almighty") also makes an appearance in the story, adding flavour to the film, in the role of a chop-shop owner. Goodman was almost unrecognizable in the part, shedding his usual nice guy image.
The film has some very intense moments, and keeps the tension elevated almost from the beginning. The police play a relatively non-existent role in the film - which does seem odd - but overall the story treads reality close enough that implausibility does not occur. Those who enjoy this genre of films will find "Death Sentence" a worthy addition to the ranks, but other movie-goers may feel the story goes too far and has been done before. Overall, the star and director elevate the film just above the rank and file, to make this movie a satisfying experience.
Rated R for strong bloody brutal violence and pervasive language.
