Probably my last Blog for awhile. This week is gonna be a game-changer for sure. So I wanted to go out with a Bang, and who better than Mel Gibson to usher us into a new era. Despite all the personal peccadilloes I really love the guy. So many of his films helped shape not only my filmic culture but my persona as well. Melvin was too cool as Mad Max and Martin Riggs. He was awesome as William Wallace in Braveheart. His crying jag on the balcony of his Manhattan sky-high apartment in RANSOM was heart-ripping. The guy could do no wrong in my eyes. So with great anticipation I saw his return to the big screen awhile back and here's what I thought: Saw the first screening ever of Mel Gibson's comeback film EDGE OF DARKNESS. Definitely a work in progress, it wasn't color-timed, had temp-music, etc. Martin Campbell the director was there. Lots of nervous looking suits as well. The usual drill.
Massive spoilers ahead... but I will try to contain them and spare the story:
In the film Mr. Gibson plays a police officer called Craven. The film starts slowly, Mel Gibson/Craven picks up his daughter at the train station (I think) and they go home... strangely she's throwing up what seems to be blood and Mel doesn't bat an eye lash... it's obvious he loves his daughter, she's the only thing left in his life. They are having supper when she begins bleeding from her nose and then profusely vomits lots of blood into her plate. In agony, she screams that she needs to get to hospital and that she has something important to tell her dad. They step outside on the porch and a car speeds by, the mysterious driver sceams out: CRAVEN! And blasts the daughter square in the chest with a shotgun. Instant death. It's gory and graphic and very shocking and unexpected. Mel cradles his dead daughter and this is the first 10 minutes of the film. The Mrs and myself thought we were in for a real treat... but alas that was not to be. I'm a big Mel Gibson fan. Grew up on the awesome Lethal Weapons, Braveheart, Mad Max... hell, I even liked CONSPIRACY THEORY. I liked Apocalypto and thought the Jesus torture-fest PASSION OF CHRIST was brave filmmaking. But why Melvin chose this as his comeback film befuddles me. It's not a bad film, it's just so-- mediocre... and there are lots of plot holes. LOTS. I will mention the first and most glaring one: After his daughter is gunned down, everyone assumes that the shooter meant to kill Mel. They think it's a botched cop killing. Sounds reasonable but.... right before she was killed, the daughter was coughing blood, begging to be taken to the hospital and desperately wanted to tell her dad something really important, just as she's about to tell Mel, blam! She's gunned down. What would you do if you were a cop who saw his daughter projectile vomiting blood. Did someone in the audience say: "Maybe call for an autopsy?" Is that what Mel does? No. Instead, he goes to the morgue to identify her body (she died in front of him?!?!? Why does he need to identify her!?), Mel cuts a lock of his daughter's hair (at the morgue) as a keepsake and THEN HAS HER CREMATED!!!!
We're about 15 minutes in and I'm angry at Mel and the filmmakers. This is a problem that should have been caught at the script level. Now the reason they cremate her is to drag out the mystery. Bcs if they perform the autopsy, they would find out a very important clue that would showcase the apparent botched cop killing in very different light. So instead, they drag out the "mystery" and we get to see interminable scenes of barefoot Melvin on the beach grieving for his daughter and pouring her ashes into the ocean. Why the ocean? Who cares, it's a nice visual. At this point I can't believe that William Monanhan (Departed) wrote this script (maybe he needs to adapt more Asian cop films)...oh, did I mention that Melvin is a Boston cop with a full blown Bostonian accent...the accent is not bad, it's not good, it just feels forced. And yet, Mel is good in the film, as he always is. Anyhow, after all the grieving, Mel goes to his daughter's apartment and empties out her backpack and finds a Geiger counter which starts going crazy when he brings it close to his jacket... what does he have in his pocket? The sheared lock of his daughter's hair! LAME plot device alert. Mel starts to put the pieces together. His daughter was a scientist/slash activist (to be honest it was never made clear and was very muddled, we never even get a flashback that explains her involvement... I know flashbacks are weak sauce storytelling wise but I felt like I needed one. At this point, the Mrs was completely lost and losing interest quick.)
Anyhow, so Mel realizes that his daughter, who was a disgruntled scientist was poisoned with radiation. How she got poisoned was clever and I won't reveal it.
Did I mention that Ray Winstone is also in this as some high level cleaner who befriends Mel, but we're not really sure who's side he's on. His character is really under-developed and Ray's talent is wasted. You can see why Bobby Deniro hight-tailed it out of this production. There was nothing there for him to work with in terms of character. I love Winstone but he needs to stop appearing in lame supporting roles.
Eventually, Mel finds out that his daughter was working for General Stryker (Danny Huston) in another asshole role. Stryker owns some kind of nuclear power plant (I wasn't sure what it was but if people try to sneak into the compound, they release radiated steam to poison them or some shit like that).
I don't want to spoil the rest but Melvin takes charge of the situation... he wants revenge real bad and several people come to a very bloody and very gory end. One thing I've always loved about Mel is his penchant for gory violence and he doesn't shy away from it here. There are two genuinely shocking moments of violence that made me jump in my seat. And we see glimpses of the mad man Riggs in a few scenes... in fact, I wish Melvin would make another lethal weapon after seeing what a tough guy he can still be. Melvin looks like he can kick serious ass anytime. Anyhow, I digress.
This is a revenge film, pure and simple. Not much character development for Melvin's character. Once again, I'm not sure why this film spoke to him...
Basically, I can't give this film a good grade. It just felt too ordinary. Not special enough, even with Mel in it. I wish he would've chosen something else as his comeback vehicle. There is still much work to be done and the film could be made into something somewhat enjoyable with a few edits to clarify what's going on. But overall, it was an underwhelming exercise, especially considering the talent involved. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good, it was blah. And blah is terrible place to be. I will see this film again when it's released because I hope that somehow Mel can right this ship. If anyone can, Mel Gibson can. Your Friend, D. |
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