SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Tetrady not as good as all the hype

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

sdpriester I figured out the big deal long before it as revealed, but Viola's acting blew me away as always. I really felt the emotion behind it all, and I enjoyed despite the predictability. I notice a lot of people dislike J'Lo's acting, but I didn't find it that terrible. To be honest, her character served as an apparatus for Viola of sorts. No real characterization. She embodied Lila's determination and vengeance well. I have never seen any of the other actors, and I thought they served their roles well also. However, the whole thing about the detectives idea of how it was possibly Lila just confused me. Was this more an insight into of how real detective work goes? Are some ideas trumped before they're even looked at by everyone all because the Big Boss has an agenda? It all just seemed odd and different from your common theme of detectives being reckless to find their killer.

Robert W. Lila and Eve reads well and has two decent leads and looked like an indie film so I was intrigued. I think the thing that annoys me the most about the film is that it thinks its unique. Its like it holds this mysterious twist that it believes the audience won't see coming and yet I had it nailed in the first half hour or less and everyone else will too because we've seen this twist before. There is a lot of emotion here to this story and a lot of potential but most of it is missed or lost when the story starts to get silly and convoluted. Its like they took a genuinely serious story and then another writer took over and made it go in a completely different direction. Its definitely an indie film and it has that vibe but that isn't even a reason as to why it isn't great. I guess I expected something along the lines of Death Wish or The Brave One and it has some of those elements but a very poor screenplay ultimately with some very clumsy directing that leaves you completely unsatisfied with the idea.Viola Davis is a great actress. She isn't necessarily one of my favourites but I know she has a ton of talent and seems very versatile. That's why I think this film was beneath her in a lot of ways. It is just a very weak script and her character is decent but lacks a lot of depth considering the intensity of the role. I think she does her best but it only serves to lift the quality of the film a little. Jennifer Lopez is a good actress too I think. It really does depend on her role and I don't think she has a lot of range but I think she is okay in the part. Her and Davis seem to fit alright but their characters are so much more intense than what the script gives them credit for. This is sort of a very dark, serious Thelma and Louise because Lopez has essentially talked Davis into taking vengeance on those that killed their children. Its a great concept, but poorly executed. The two of them are the focus of the film of course and I can't honestly say that anyone in the supporting cast is all that great and worth mentioning. The two main characters have very little depth so its a lot to ask for the sub-characters to be noticeable.I was pretty certain watching this that the director would be someone fairly new. However, Charles Stone has some experience under his belt but nothing like this at all. I mean his previous work included Mr. 3000 (which I remember seeing years ago and absolutely loving but that's beside the point.) This requires some time and effort and a much better script and much more heart behind the camera. I don't feel like he cared at all about how the film was shot. I did however smile and nod when I saw that this is really the only credit to writer Pat Gilfillan. Now I know that everyone deserves a chance and everyone has to start somewhere but I am convinced that 99% of the time you can see inexperience in work and this is an example. I think the idea is great but it misses the mark and ends up being mildly watchable probably due to the talent of Davis and yes even Lopez. They are very lucky they got two well known actresses in the role or it would have been completely overlooked. As it is, it is mostly forgettable. 6/10

Elisa Forsgren I thought the film was a brilliant character study of the effects of a tragic death has on the living. Perhaps some thought that the film was a bit far-reaching but that is what film is all about… to push the limits, stretch our minds and continue the "what if" story. No doubt Viola Davis continues to impress with her amazing talent as a grieving mother willing to do anything to exact justice for her son's unnecessary death. Jennifer Lopez plays perfectly as the counter-part, cajoling her in further and deeper. What do we see movies for? Entertainment? Perhaps to step outside of our world and into another for a couple of hours? Well this is barely 90 minutes but it was certainly satisfying. I felt the pain and anguish of a mother who had lost her child. I understood her angst. While I also understood very clearly that her vigilante pursuit came with a consequences that left another wake of grief albeit loosely justified but to what means? While many were dissatisfied with the possible holes… I found the film to be refreshingly original, well written, great story line, plot and acting. Bravo! Those who gave this film a low rating have never tried to write anything other than a criticism, so take their opinion for what it is worth -- if you're wondering if you'll be entertained: yes. Watch it an enjoy it, it goes pretty deep… and in the end it will make you think, perhaps a little more. Another possible wink to the far-reaching understanding of the long-standing and ludicrous death toll derived directly from our nation's continued efforts on the "war on drugs," it is possible to also see that if "drugs" were regulated and available… the crime and death would be far less.

Eric_Cubed This movie has an awesome twist, which is why I give it a 5 and not a 3. I didn't even see it coming, and I usually do. Still, though I admit I have no experience with directing, camera-work, screen writing etc., I just can't understand why revenge movies don't follow the basic kick assery as these: kill bill, man on fire, oldboy, taken, mad max, unforgiven, the brave one, law abiding citizen the Punisher and the lesser known but one of my personal favorites, The Horseman. There are only a few basic ingredients. The victim needs to be an innocent child, the bad people need to be outrageously evil and over the top vicious, cruel and psychopathic, and the avenger needs to "tap into" a capacity for methodical and stylistic revenge he/she never thought capable of. Kind of like Walt discovering his true passion was for working the system and being a criminal. Oh, almost forgot Kevin Bacon's Death Sentence, another great one (John Goodman I worship you). With this film, as awesome as the twist is, you never get the engaging momentum and relentless non-stop gore and vigilantism as the antihero moves up the chain to finally snuff out the mega-boss who "ordered the hit." It's actually kind of boring at times. Still, it's worth watching for the lead performances, which were excellent, and the climax.