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Dddd |
Date: 2010-02-22

Hi All. I saw "Law Abiding Citizen last Night, Despite what I thought was a contrived ending (I guess it needed to end that way, but I did not think that would have been a realistic ending), I Was blown away by how good this movie actually is. As an attorney, I can honestly say that there were some pretty accurate depictions of how it works in the profession. First a comment. Reading some of the negative reviews of the film, I am simply appalled at the lack of intelligence, and even moral fabric of some of the reviewers and their simple inability to follow a well thought out plot line, and terrific explanation as to how Mr. Butler was able to do what he did. Whether it could have been pulled off or not is not the issue. It is a reasonable and valid explanation for the plan that was put in place. ANd frankly it was ingenious. He had many years to put it in place so how is that so impossible?

Some of the positive and thoughtful reviews are spot on with the idea that this film, played excellently by Mr. Butler, deals intelligently with one (Suremely intelligent and gifted) man's reaction to a system he deems to be incredibly unjust. And indeed, his reaction and plan (which would not be possible if he were not so resourceful and intelligent) to Prosecutors making deals to ensure convictions, while ignoring the barbarity of crimes committed is very realistic because prosecutors are by nature very political animals who get relected through things like high conviction rates. They care little about actual victims of crimes, even though they probably did not start out that way. How many families of victims of crimes are left feeling helpless because the law did not help them, the law did not see their catastrophic pain as anything else than an opportunity to notch one more in the conviction belt. this is probably why many people are convicted wrongly anyway. It's not often enough about justice being done. I t is more often, can I get a conviction as a prosecutor, despite whether your better sense tells you that this person is innocent or guilty.

SPOLIERS AHEAD***********

There are however prosecutors who do the right thing and would have taken this matter to trial to see ultimate justice done (even if the prosecutor had ultimately lost) simply because of the barbarity of the crimes against Mr. Butler and his family. That being said, even a conscientious proseutor may take a deal if a conviction if doubtful or hampered by police misconduct. In this instance it may have been correct, as the DNA evidence taken was deemed to be inadmissible. However, the idea that Mr. Butler, an eyewitness to what occurred, would somehow prove to be an unreliable witness is a stretch. I would have taken my chances with a jury convicting the criminals, and my chances with Clyde Shelton (Butler) as a witness. Mr. Butler's idealistic rant during his bail proceeding is very realistic in the sense of a layman who does not understand how the process works. The process itself is skewed in favor of defendants because the system is designed to limit the instances (even though it may not always work) where innocent people are convicted. let's assume for a moment, that Mr. butler was set up by someone else for the crimes he was alleged to have committed, then the judge revoking his bail, even though he was innocent would have been harsh and unfair- an innocent man sitting in prison until his trial. That is a terrible in its own right. It is such a difficult thing to combine a desire to see justice done against criminals versus making sure we do not convict the innocent. Thus, the judge, assuming all men to be innocent until proven guilty should have given him an opportunity at bail despite the horrificness of the crimes he was alleged to have committed. IN this instance, the judge was right and Mr. Butler was wrong but how can you blame a lay person and the victim of a horrific crime (as he was) for hating the very system that lets someone who did what they did to his family serve less than 5 years in prison. You can't blame him. I would lose my mind if what happened to him happend to me. I would have wanted to kill everyone, in the most barbaric of ways. That's what makes this movie so excellent is because it deals with such important and difficult issues.

Other comments.

SPOLIERS AHEAD **********

The ingenius maneuvers by Mr. Butler were amazing to watch and the come uppance received by at least one of the criminals is the single greatest come uppance that I have seen on film. Unflinchly unforgiving, and I Loved it.

but I have some questions for the educated and well read viewers who watched this film. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN FILM. I REPEAT. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN FILM.

I believe the ending was entirely contrived for several reasons. It is unlikely that Mr. Butler's plan would have been discovered by Mr. Foxx in a timely fashion even with the information he obtained. It is clear that Mr. butler having planned so ingeniously would have made his secret location failry impenetrable by anyone but him either through the use of digital codes, retinal scanners what have you, in order to gain acess to his lair. Assuming for a moment that we accept that Mr. Foxx realistically came upon this information and discovered the plan by any means necessary, then the movie ends completely unrealistically because Mr. Foxx, the Judge, and the police officer broke various laws in finding out his plan, and violated Mr. butler's civil rights in the process. So even if the they were able to stop Butler from carrying out his plan, it is very likely that Mr. Foxx, and all involved would have been removed as ADA, Judge and cop and would have been disbarred, and probably prosecuted for crimes. How about the instances where Mr. Butler is asaulted by Mr. Foxx. Foxx would have been charged with Assault and lost his job (even though he may have been doing what's right, he still broke the laws and would need to be hald accountable). This would have been a true ending, because if every one must be held accountable, then Mr. Foxx, even though he saves the day (Where he deserved execution in my opinion), should be held accountable for breaking a mutitude of laws in stopping. Anyone can get any result they want if they are willing to ignore the constituion that protects liberties. That's why we have the protections in the first place. So if you violate those liberties, even to save lives, then guess what- you have to pay the piper as a result.

That is the price that one has to pay for doing things outside the law even when the result saves lives. How come only Gerard Butler's character has to be held accountable for breaking the law to obtain justice when no one else would do what they were supposed to do. Why is that he alone has to pay the price for takinjg the law into his own hands. Why is his life and the lives of his wife and child less in the eyes of Mr. Foxx and co, than the lives of Foxx's colleagues. Why is Mr. Foxx not held accountable, after breaking the laws to stop Butler? The appropriate ending, based on what actually happened would have been Mr. Foxx's daughter and wife at the daughter's recital, after Foxx saves the day, but he himself would have been either a jailed or disbarred attorney for his actions in getting there. There is a price to pay for these actions, despite the result.
My question to you, is do you agree with my thoughts on this?

Finally, the more realistic ending would have been for Mr. butler to pull the whole thing off (executing everyone even remotely connected with the prosecution of these defendants) and then walk out of his prison through his secret way, which I won't reveal, and disappear into the sea of humanity. I just do not think that he would have been caught. This would have satisfied me alot more, and made this movie an all time great in my opinion. But then again, this may be more to do with my desire for vengeance on his behalf then any clear cut logical thinking. Your thoughts??

K. S. Tolen |
Date: 2010-02-21

I have no idea who Kathleen Fennessy is. Her name is on the editorial review, which may or may not be from a "professional" point of view, but she would be a much more convincing authority on this film if she'd actually seen it. For starters, in just the THIRD sentence into it, she gets it completely wrong. If she'd actually seen it, she would know that Ames is the one who gets the death sentence after Darby (who actually committed the brutal murders) testifies against him. Simple enough. I didn't have to take any notes to remember that. Also, Darby only gets three years. He's been out seven years by the time Clyde goes after him. After Clyde goes to prison, members of the justice system who had anything to do with the original murder start to die, not just members of Rice's legal team. Also they don't "suspect" him of the crimes, they KNOW because Clyde TOLD them he was doing it. They connected him to them from his CONFESSION. Rice doesn't race against the clock to do anything. In fact, he does everything possible NOT do anything except not believe Clyde is capable of anything. He never tried to save the lives of his assistant attorney Sarah, or the D.A. They were never trying to tie Clyde to the crimes. They were looking for an accomplice to also send to prison. THAT'S what the movie is about. The "race against time" was to find out who was helping him. Clyde flat out TOLD them it was him.

Ms. Hennessy got the whole thing wrong. NOBODY should listen to what she wrote. You absolutely cannot review something you've never seen. Next time, while you're "watching a film for review:
a) take some notes
b) stay off the laptop
c) turn off your cell phone
d) and I can't say this enough, TAKE SOME DAMN NOTES!

Having said all of that, I liked this film very much. Gerard Butler was heartbreaking and kind of evil, but you are totally sympathetic to him and I found myself rooting for him again and again, even as things amped up. Jamie Foxx played the prosecuting attorney flatly, a kind of "one note" portrayal and his character's continuing refusal to feel anything for the wronged father made me not care who had to die for him to get the message. And how many people DID die before he finally took Butler's character serioiusly?
The effects were great and I loved the third act. What a kick in the ass!
I highly recommend this film. Lots of killing going on but it is creatively done and to me, that matters more than seeing blood and guts just to see blood and guts.

MUZIK4THAPEOPLE!! |
Date: 2010-02-16

I rented this film today and enjoyed it...so I will defintely be getting it soon.
I found it to be very entertaining, well-paced, suspenseful, graphic in places.
Gerard Butler was like the devil in this! And with good reason, but his character
gets blinded by revenge. (Good job though!)
Jamie Foxx did a satisfactory job in this and the other cast was sufficient.
Lots of explosions, violence, and other manner of thrills & chills for those
who like that sort of thing...I can't complain about the film overall, but
the ending was very unexpected to me. I give it 5 stars for being a great entertaining
film that won't bore you and you can follow it all the way through.

Arnita D. Brown |
Date: 2010-02-17

Ten years after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered, returns to extract justice from the assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case against their killers. His vengeance threatens not only the man who allowed mercy to supersede justice, but also the system and the city that made it so. This movie really keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the main character Clyde really makes this movie something memorable and just extraordinary. Jamie Fox also does a great job playing his character, a heroic yet corrupt lawyer. This movie has a few twists and turns and will always keep you guessing. If you want to see something that is highly suspenseful, will keep you on the edge of your seat, and includes two very unique and questionable characters, then you must see this movie. "Law Abiding Citizen" will not disappoint.

J. Gourdine |
Date: 2010-04-24

Now let me start this off by just saying that this was one incredible movie where I never seen the ending coming in the way that it did...

Jamie Foxx has really turned out to be something really special in an actor. He's really showing us his acting chops. He seems to keep getting more impressive in my book.

Gerald Butler also shows us his acting chops by brilliantly playing the role of a father who is not satisfied with the way the Judicial System has handled the case of the brutal murder of his family....

Bottom line, this was just a phenomenal movie with a lot of twists and turns. I never saw the ending coming in the way that it did come. Very impressive.

5 Stars all day.... Highly Recommendable...