Review: Edge of Darkness

When I think of political thrillers, films such as City Hall (1996), Conspiracy Theory (1997), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), and The Good Shepherd (2006) come to mind. Those films weren’t necessarily bad, but they were all sleep-inducing at times. Edge of Darkness wasn’t 100% exciting, but it did have me on the edge of my seat more often than not, and succeeded in being both a solid drama and thriller.

After his daughter is shot to death beside him outside of their home, Boston police detective Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) starts to believe he was the intended target. While fighting back any emotion over the loss of his only child, Craven goes through her personal things and begins to contact her friends. He soon discovers that her work at a nuclear research firm was not so cut-and-dry, and that she had unearthed some disturbing evidence against the company before her shocking death. With rich businessmen and politicians involved, not to mention a high-end security consultant (Ray Winstone) on his tail, Craven goes on a hunt to find out who killed his daughter so he can exact revenge.

It’s been almost 10 years since Gibson starred in his last major role (2002’s Signs), and his return as a leading man in Edge of Darkness is possibly his best part since Braveheart. When I left the theatre, my initial reaction was, ‘Mel Gibson is back!’ His presence onscreen was powerful and I sincerely felt for his character. This is a man who has just lost everything and, where most films would have him turn to alcohol or make him a complete mess, it’s the way he struggles to hold it together and his strength in doing so that is so affecting to watch.

In the supporting roles, Bojana Novakovic (who plays Emma Craven) is great in her brief part, and Danny Huston, as the villain Jack Bennett, is so evil and cold that when he smirks and asks Craven what it feels like to lose a child, it’s enough to infuriate and make the viewer personally hate him (it certainly did for me). Winstone’s part was originally intended for Robert De Niro, and while I could see De Niro pulling it off, Winstone handles it with perfection.

Edge of Darkness is a remake of the 1985 BBC mini-series that is considered to be one of the most influential television dramas ever made. Both are directed by Martin Campbell, and while the original had a lot more time to dig deeper into the story, this version is well paced and very tight. There are also a lot of moments of shocking violence (such as the scene where Emma is shot) that will downright give you chills.

While watching Edge of Darkness, I experienced the same feeling I had when I saw the soon-to-be-released thriller Frozen and last year’s Taken. To really appreciate the film, and the tension it carries, you have to see it in a dark theatre.

**** out of 5 stars

Rated R
Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Huston, Ray Winstone
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Official Site IMDb

brian.mckechnie@citynews.rogers.com

ALSO OPENING THIS WEEK: When in Rome, Grown Up Movie Star,  Yes Men Fix The World, La Donation

Top image: Mel Gibson in Edge of Darkness. Courtesy Warner Bros.