Edge of Darkness
Martin Campell
Warner Bros.
Stars: 2/5
In Edge of Darkness, Mel Gibson returns to the revenge-driven roots he occupied before an eight-year absence from the big screen.
The film is based on a critically lauded BBC mini-series, but the generic story and slight characterization make it tough to see where the widespread acclaim originated.
Also, as Boston police officer Thomas Craven, Gibson is not back to form.
The film opens with Craven’s daughter, Emma, being blasted away by a masked gunman on his front porch.
While it’s initially believed that Craven was the target, he finds some startling evidence that suggests otherwise.
For instance, traces of radiation are found in his daughter’s hair, and a loaded gun is mysteriously placed in Emma’s nightstand.
Craven starts to investigate Northmoor, the company where his daughter worked. A mysterious consultant, Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), hints to the detective that there are shadier dealings within the corporation.
Seeking answers — and a whole lot of vengeance for his daughter’s death — Craven tries to uncover what’s really amiss at Northmoor.
The adaptation has much going for it — from a compelling lead actor to a capable action director (Martin Campbell, best known for his efforts in the 007 franchise).
But Edge of Darkness is not a wham-bam thriller. Instead, it’s just a bunch of hum-drum performances and uninspired material.
This is not the return audiences expect from Mel Gibson. He looks fatigued throughout much of the film, except at points where he’s spouting horrendous cliché-ridden threats at mercenaries (“I’m the man who’s got nothing to lose,” he yelps at one point).
Moments in, his daughter is blasted away. So why does Gibson offer such an emotionless performance?
It could be the film’s mundane script by Andrew Bovell and Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed).
Both writers condense the beloved six-hour mini-series into one-third that length, but simplify the story to an extent where the story feels stretched instead of packed in.
With simplified bare-bones plotting, the intrigue and red herring count run low. It’s no wonder Gibson looks so bored — he’s stuck waiting for something to happen.
The lone bright side of Edge of Darkness is Campbell’s direction. What the story lacks in
surprises, Campbell nearly makes up for in full-throttled excitement.
Campbell also pays homage to 1970s paranoia thrillers — unleashing a great atmosphere of hushed menace into every scene.
Unfortunately, the generic story elements ensure that this bloodthirsty revenge tale runs dry early. Even an angry Mel Gibson cannot emit enough passion to drive Edge of Darkness.