Dead Man Down (2013) Directed by Niels Arden Oplev
Still not really sure about whether this was a good movie or not. On
the one hand, it isn't really doing anything terribly wrong but on the
other it's just never the most exciting, entertaining or interesting
movie to watch.
It's one of those thrillers that's going for a more gritty and realistic approach but the problem with it is that the movie its story isn't really suited for such a type of approach really. The movie is told in a (needlessly) complicated and slow manner but the story in itself is a quite simple and straightforward one actually. The movie may have worked out better, if only it had a more clever and less formulaic type of script involved. It still tries to tell its story in a clever and surprising way but without getting its viewers ever involved enough with either its story or characters.
The movie is told in such a complicated way at times, that the movie actually becomes hard to follow, despite its still very straightforward main plot line. Ultimately it's nothing more but a revenge flick, only told as if it's something way more than just that, without ever really truly becoming something more interesting or better than just the average revenge thriller.
It's a bit of a problem that the movie is taking itself so seriously, all throughout. There is never any room for any sort of entertainment or even any other lighter type of moments. So no, this is not a movie you should expect to get any fun out of. And it really could have used some more bright spots and lighter moments in it. The movie as it is does not only look very bleak, it also really feels that way.
But that's also due to how the actors portray their characters in this movie. They constantly keep a straight face and it seems to be impossible for them to smile (well, at least for Noomi Rapace's character there is a good explanation for it, early on in the movie). Especially the movie its main character, played by Colin Farrell, feels like a very bland one, just because of that. He's not a very likable protagonist, also because the movie does a poor job at giving him enough background and a strong and sensible enough character motivation.
It feels that the movie either should have been one totally focused on its characters and as a sort of character study if you will, with more depth and emotions to it, or as a more Hollywoodized thriller, with some more intriguing twists and developments to it. The movie now isn't really being either one of those and it feels stuck somewhere between different movie styles, without ever doing anything interesting or surprising enough to constantly keep you intrigued and involved.
The movie is still not a bad one and I also do still consider it to be perfectly watchable but it just isn't one that I can wholeheartedly recommend as well.
6/10
It's one of those thrillers that's going for a more gritty and realistic approach but the problem with it is that the movie its story isn't really suited for such a type of approach really. The movie is told in a (needlessly) complicated and slow manner but the story in itself is a quite simple and straightforward one actually. The movie may have worked out better, if only it had a more clever and less formulaic type of script involved. It still tries to tell its story in a clever and surprising way but without getting its viewers ever involved enough with either its story or characters.
The movie is told in such a complicated way at times, that the movie actually becomes hard to follow, despite its still very straightforward main plot line. Ultimately it's nothing more but a revenge flick, only told as if it's something way more than just that, without ever really truly becoming something more interesting or better than just the average revenge thriller.
It's a bit of a problem that the movie is taking itself so seriously, all throughout. There is never any room for any sort of entertainment or even any other lighter type of moments. So no, this is not a movie you should expect to get any fun out of. And it really could have used some more bright spots and lighter moments in it. The movie as it is does not only look very bleak, it also really feels that way.
But that's also due to how the actors portray their characters in this movie. They constantly keep a straight face and it seems to be impossible for them to smile (well, at least for Noomi Rapace's character there is a good explanation for it, early on in the movie). Especially the movie its main character, played by Colin Farrell, feels like a very bland one, just because of that. He's not a very likable protagonist, also because the movie does a poor job at giving him enough background and a strong and sensible enough character motivation.
It feels that the movie either should have been one totally focused on its characters and as a sort of character study if you will, with more depth and emotions to it, or as a more Hollywoodized thriller, with some more intriguing twists and developments to it. The movie now isn't really being either one of those and it feels stuck somewhere between different movie styles, without ever doing anything interesting or surprising enough to constantly keep you intrigued and involved.
The movie is still not a bad one and I also do still consider it to be perfectly watchable but it just isn't one that I can wholeheartedly recommend as well.
6/10
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