Law Abiding Citizen (DVD, 2010)

"Law Abiding Citizen," the new thriller with Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx, is an interesting revenge thriller that takes the viewer to some unexpected places and provokes thoughtful conversations and introspection. Regardless of any drawbacks that the film may have, and it is certainly not perfect, it makes valid points about the sometimes arbitrary nature of the criminal justice system.

Gerard Butler stars as an engineer whose seemingly peaceful life is shattered when two men break into his house, injure him, and kill his wife and daughter. Grieving, but obviously believing that his case is clear cut, he is stunned when the young assistant DA prosecuting the case, played by Jamie Foxx, makes a deal that allows a reduced sentence for the killer of the wife and child in exchange for his testimony against the other man.

Ten years later, as the man convicted of murder is facing lethal injection, Butler's long-planned revenge plot begins to unfold. We find out that Butler is not who he has seemed to be, and that the now senior assistant DA Foxx has his hand full with a clever resourceful advesary.

This film is not for the squeamish, has several shocks and surprises, and is meditative and thoughtful. It is a suprisingly good thriller considering how bad it could have been with a lesser cast, script, and direction.

Great Action, Great Acting, Great Film

From the very first scene this movie grabs you with a powerful shocker.

(I will give a description but will not give away any details that will spoil the movie so please forgive me is this seems a bit vague).
Gerard Butler (300) is a family man living with his wife and daughter. After a home invasion he is set upon a mission of vengeance to 'right the wrongs' with the judicial system as he sees it. Jamie Foxx is the District Attorney who is the focus of his anger and who will bear the brunt of his revenge. Everyone who watches this movie will not only understand his motives but also will sympathize with his actions.

This movie starts out with a bang that catches you off guard and does not stop for over two hours of action packed entertainment. Not since the French Connection have I seen a movie that had so much heart and drive.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone who enjoys a great crime thriller.

Law Abiding Citizen, Not Hardly!

This is a powerful and violent film (it has to be!) directed by Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption). It starts with a random home invasion where Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is stabbed and his wife and daughter murdered. Boy, did they choose the wrong guy! Clyde has the special skills needed for revenge and retribution. Jaime Foxx (Nick), as a district prosecutor, makes a plea bargain agreement in order to expedite the two criminals through the justice system. Not enough to make Clyde's day! Soon, the two criminals are dispatched in horrible ways. In a unique plot twist, Clyde admits to the murders, is incarcerated, but the uniquely planned murders continue in his relentless attempt to alter the justice system. This becomes a cat & mouse thriller as Nick attempts to stop the carnage. This is an involving film, but you will need a strong stomach.

A great action/thriller

Law Abiding Citizen is an intense thriller that combines elements of the Saw series with an intelligent protagonist whose obsession with justice causes him to attack the legal system. This movie works hard to provide a thrilling story line while meshing it with a moral dilemma. The director executes this very well. This is a great movie.

Great Flick!!!

We know that Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) loves his daughter because in the opening moments of "Law Abiding Citizen," we see him happily making bead necklaces with her. Then there's a knock on the door, a baseball bat to the head and Clyde watches helplessly as his wife and little girl are raped and murdered during a home invasion.

Clyde, understandably, wants justice, and when he doesn't get it from the system, he wants revenge on everyone involved. Because of that "Law Abiding Citizen" spends a lot of time paying lip service to the inequities of a broken judicial system where "some justice is better than no justice at all."