"Edge of Darkness" Movie Review

I came into this movie with very high expectations, and those expectations were met, but not really in the way that one would expect. In order for that to make any sense, you first have to hear a few of my criticisms of the film.

- There were far too many characters, and this made the story seem convoluted at times, and forced some of the scenes to be far too short and choppy. While most of the characters were significant to helping to solve the mystery, some consolidation, or a longer running time seemed necessary. There were many scenes that were extremely rushed, and there were a few instances, where I was wondering what the fuck just happened, and not in a good way.
- At times it felt like the movie couldn't decide if it was a character-driven or plot-driven film. While I generally prefer character-driven films over plot-driven ones, this is a movie that clearly needed to be plot-oriented, and some of the scenes seemed redundant and drawn out, causing the film to drag in the middle third.
- Consequently, there were not as many action scenes as I had hoped for.

However...

- The action scenes that were there were absolutely fantastic. Make no mistake: this movie is NOT for the faint of heart, and there were quite a few really good thrills and scares along the way.
- Mel Gibson was great as the grieving father turned vengeful detective. The supporting cast did a good enough job, although due to the high amount of characters, no supporting character got enough screen time to really shine.
- I was expecting another "Lethal Weapon", but instead got more, with a highly thoughtful script that forced you to think and pay close attention, as there was a lot of subtlety in the film.
- By the end of the film, I realized that coming into the movie expecting a shoot-em-out thriller really damaged by viewing of the movie, as I did not pay attention to scenes and little things that I ordinarily would have, reminding me that it's best to come into a movie with a "blank slate" and an open mind.

GRADE: B...While not without its flaws, this was still a solid thriller that I would recommend to all guys, and strong-stomached women. "Edge of Darkness" will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat, and if you pay attention, and absorb the film's first half, you will be rewarded with a thoroughly entertaining and resounding second half.