Edge of Darkness (2010) Warner Bros./Action-Thriller RT: 117 minutes Rated R (strong bloody violence and language) Director: Martin Campbell Screenplay: William Monahan and Andrew Bovell Music: Howard Shore Cinematography: Phil Meheux Release date: January 29, 2010 (US) Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts, David Aaron Baker, Jay O. Sanders, Denis O’Hare, Damian Young, Caterina Scorsone, Frank Grillo, Peter Epstein, Wayne Duvall, Gbenga Akinnagbe. Box Office: $43.3M (US)/$81.1M (World)
Rating: *** ½
It’s no secret how I feel about older movies versus newer ones. I never tried to hide it. I’ve become cynical and jaded about what Hollywood has to offer these days. I’ve had it with the lame megabudget CGI noisefests, unfunny comedies and tepid PG-13 horror flicks. Most of the movies that play multiplexes leave me feeling empty and unsatisfied. That even applies to the good ones. They’re just so hollow compared to the movies of the 70s, 80s and 90s. As a lifelong movie lover, I never dreamed I’d reach this point, but here we are.
Once in a while, I see one that I like a lot. The conspiracy thriller Edge of Darkness is one such title. I dug it when it came out ten years ago and still dig it now. Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) directs this remake of his own BBC miniseries. Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon 1-4) stars as Thomas Craven, a man who has spent years as a detective in Boston. When his daughter Emma (Novakovic, Drag Me to Hell) is killed near the door of his home, he soon realizes that her death is only one piece of a puzzle filled with corruption and conspiracy. It falls to him to discover who is behind the crime.
Craven’s joy over his daughter’s visit ends abruptly when a masked gunman shoots her dead in front of him. At first, he assumes the bullet was meant for him. He figures it has to be somebody he arrested and put away out for revenge. Then he finds a handgun belonging to Emma’s boyfriend (Roberts, Diary of the Dead) in her purse. The boyfriend, in fear for his life if he talks, points him towards her workplace, a shady research and development facility called Northmoor run by sinister corporate type Jack Bennett (Huston, The Aviator). He tries to assure Craven they’re on the up and up, but it’s obvious he’s hiding something. I’ll only say that it’s a high-reaching conspiracy involving a powerful senator (Young, House of Cards) and Emma found out about it.
The wild card in all this is a mysterious chap named Jedburgh (Winstone, Sexy Beast), a “consultant” sent to tie up the loose ends resulting from Emma’s murder. Only he’s not interested in killing Craven. Instead, he leaves him to conduct his investigation into Northmoor. A hitman with a conscience is usually a standard-issue character, but not in the hands of Winstone who makes him the movie’s most fascinating character. His interactions with Gibson’s character provide Edge of Darkness with some of its best scenes.
The two complaints I hear most frequently about Edge of Darkness are (1) it’s too slow and (2) it’s not as good as the original miniseries. I can’t speak to number two as I’ve never seen the 1985 version starring Bob Peck (Jurassic Park). As for it being slow, I’ll grant that it’s not likely to please viewers looking for Lethal Weapon-type action. It’s more talk than action as Gibson’s character attempts to untangle the web of conspiracy that led to his daughter’s murder. Despite the frequent expository dialogue, it’s not easy to follow what Northmoor is really up to. It’s explained in too convoluted a manner, but it’s not entirely incomprehensible either. When you can finally put it all together, it’s rather simple and obvious.
Gibson delivers an edgy performance as the increasingly paranoid Craven, a good cop out to avenge his daughter, the only family he had (there’s no mention of the wife/mother). He has good reason to be paranoid too. He’s being followed by men in black suits driving a black SUV with darkened windows. I’ll say this much, they’re not trying to sell him Amway. I know Gibson’s had a lot of personal problems since his days as a big box office draw, but it hasn’t affected his acting abilities. He’s still a solid leading man. Huston channels his late father’s villainous performance in Chinatown as the head of the big evil corporation that sits atop a tall hill visible for miles around. It’s like something out of a James Bond movie which makes sense since Campbell helmed two 007 movies- Goldeneye and Casino Royale.
Written by Oscar winner William Monahan (The Departed) and Andrew Bovell (Lantana), Edge of Darkness is a stylish, suspenseful thriller with a few well-mounted action scenes scattered throughout including one scene of sudden violence that will make you jump. The narrative is a bit messy, but I’m willing to overlook it. This movie is positively gripping even if it does lag in parts. It also has a few predictable plot points like the secondary character you know right away is a turncoat. Hey, I never said Edge of Darkness was perfect. It has flaws I’m willing to excuse because it kept me on the edge of my seat. More than that, it makes me want to hunt down the original Brit-made miniseries.
