Movies Reviews

Edge of Darkness - Movie Review

By Anne Brodie Jan 29, 2010, 17:24 GMT

As homicide detective Thomas Craven investigates the death of his activist daughter, he uncovers not only her secret life, but a corporate cover-up and government collusion that attracts an agent tasked with cleaning up the evidence. ...more

Mel Gibson’s back after a 6 year absence from film, and his timing wouldn’t be more – well, controversial, so recently after his troubles.  They include a scandal sheet relationship with the mother of his 3-month of old daughter Lucia, revelations he was separated from his wife, the mother of his 7 children for several years, an ugly arrest with allegations of anti-Semitic and anti-female slurs and alcohol rehab.  But Gibson is resilient and has come back with both barrels loaded, giving a strong performance as a grief crazed Boston cop on the trail of the man who killed his daughter.

That internal fire that set him apart from the others is burning again and that’s truly the way we relate best to the cocky Aussie, not as the romantic leading man but the vengeance seeking force of nature.  Gibson still has the power to dominate a screen.  The story goes dead when he’s not shown.  His single minded focus is almost supernatural.

Edge is an unlikely and uneven thriller hybrid throwing a wide net around politics, ecology, espionage and relationships set within the usual police versus FBI procedural format.  There may be too much going on for the film’s own good, but there is never a dull moment.

Gibson plays Boston police detective Thomas Craven who is reunited with his beloved daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic); they have a loving relationship and share most things except unfortunately, information about what she’s doing away from home.  As he makes her welcome home dinner, she suddenly becomes ill and starts to tell him something important.  They open the front door to go to the hospital when a masked gunnman calls out ‘Craven!’ and shoots her dead.

The police theorise that Craven was targeted by someone from one of his cases, but he can’t think of anyone carrying a grudge of that magnitude.  He defies police standards by joining the investigation into Emma’s death with plenty of room given him by his boss.  It is a difficult case, but being the dogged character he is, Craven fixes on finding her killer.

His journey uncovers a complex network of bio-terrorism, corporate and government misdeeds and a trail of dead bodies.  By now his life’s not worth a nickel but he says he has nothing to live for and dedicates himself to seeing justice done.  It’s a huge job, considering his emotional state as he brings out his best game.  Gibson’s interpretation of Craven’s suffering and grieving seems authentic; he indulges in that magical thinking common to people under stress.

Ray Winstone stars as an enigmatic, vaguely international figure who seems to know a lot about Craven’s situation as well as a certain CEO’s.  Winstone is quietly awesome in that manly way of his, and brings layers of meaning to the lines.  Yet again, Danny Huston plays a stone cold evil son-of-a-gun, a type he doesn’t even try to shake.  It would be interesting and disarming to see him play a sympathetic character.

There is a lot going on in the film due to the various subplots, and it could stand to lose a few minutes.  The glue that holds it tgether is Gibson’s focus.  That’s what he brought to Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, Braveheart and the rest, and what makes him one of a kind.  The film’s not great, but Gibson is just fine.

And now comes the tabloid field day - “How dare Mel Gibson make a movie”!

Written by William Monahan, Andrew Bovell, Troy Kennedy-Martin
Directed by Martin Campbell
Opens: Jan 29
Runtime: 117 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for strong bloody violence and language
Country: UK/USA
Language: English