Up & Coming Weekly

28 UCW NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 1, 2009 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com Law Abiding Citizen (109 min- utes) can thank a little independent horror movie called Saw for much of its narrative punch. While it is an action/thriller rather than a hor- ror flick, the intricacies with which people are dispatched, and the hid- e o u s / h i l a r i o u s m e a n s b y w h i c h t h e y a re f i n a l l y b u m p e d o f f a re a b s o l u t e l y i n s p i re d b y t h a t o f t - i m i t a t e d , b u t n e v e r d u p l i c a t e d , p o w e rh o u s e f r a n c h i s e . Director F. Gary Gray is better known for his music video work, and this film bears a similar slick look. Writer Kurt Wimmer doesn't suck, but since I respect Gray, I'm going to blame the near constant misogyny of the story on him. Admittedly, both of them manage to sub- vert several com- mon Hollywood race stereotypes. However, in the final analysis women in this movie are treated as either cannon fodder or…well, they're all pretty much cannon fod- der, actually. Even the ones that don't get dead are threat- ened with death to advance the plot. And the more innocent they are, the shorter their movie life span. Clearly, one (or both) of these guys was working out some deep seated mommy issues (or possibly getting over a break-up). Engineer Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is enjoying a quiet evening at home when two men stab him, and murder his wife and daughter. The forensic investigation is bungled, and the prosecutor, Nick Rice (Jaime Foxx, in one of his best roles) is forced to deal with one to convict the other. This central conflict adds a nice bit of moral complexity to an otherwise straightforward plot device. Shelton is not happy with the deal, but is once again powerless to stop what is happening. Fast forward 10 years later. I finally realize the film is set in Philadelphia, and imme- diately begin craving a real Philly cheesesteak. My appetite is not at all affected when the scene shifts to the prison, where the man convicted for the murder of Shelton's family is undergoing lethal injection. Unfortunately for the sentenced man, the execution does not go as planned. Evidence points towards his partner in crime, Darby (Christian Stolte) who has long since been released from prison to begin his new life as a productive citizen. The police dragnet herds Darby into the arms of Shelton, and he creepily explains his fiendish plot for revenge to the audi- ence. The actual violence is shot very tastefully, although Butler chews his fair share of scenery. The police finally figure out that Shelton is behind this, and they go to his home to arrest them. Amusingly, Shelton systemati- cally strips down to his Whoa Mamma, and even after his arrest, his skin tight (unbut- toned!) jeans scream male stripper more than psychopath. Presumably, this is so the police will not shoot him, but since he is a rich white male, it just read as a semi-legitimate way of getting him naked so he can show off his six pack. I am not really complaining, just making an observation. Once in prison, Shelton really gets to work manipulat- ing Prosecutor Rice, Detective Dunnigan (Colm Meaney — he was in Star Trek: The Next Generation), and D.A. Jonas Cantrell (Bruce McGill — he was in MacGyver). From start to almost finish, Shelton masterminds every detail of his mys- terious plan while messing with the minds running Philadelphia's crimi- nal justice system. The action is well-paced, the acting is good, and the sudden vio- lence is suitably shocking. Overall, it is easy to understand why this has stayed at the top of the box office from week to week. Well, I Wasn't Bored Law Abiding Citizen (Rated R) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS

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