Law Abiding Citizen
Director: F. Gary Gray
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb
Details: US/108mins 16
Looking at the trailer for Law Abiding Citizen, I was convinced it would be an action thriller with substance. A story of a man, whose entire family is brutally murdered in front of him, it appeared to give Gerard Butler - a charismatic actor - a chance to flex more than just his impressively acquired pectorals. While it does start out as something different, all be it abruptly so, it soon descends into a ridiculously over-the-top exercise in revenge. If Journeyman director F. Gary Gray wanted to just make something fun, then he mildly succeeds. But that is only if you didn't find the film's opening fifteen minutes, or so, in any way engaging.
Butler is a dedicated family man Clyde Shelton, who has his life turned upside down one evening when a couple of hoodlums knock at his door. Intent on robbing his house, they knock him out and proceed to kill his young daughter, then rape and kill his wife. Putting his judicial hopes in the hands of Jamie Foxx's ambitious prosecutor Nick Rice, he is appalled when he is told they'll be cutting a deal, and only one of the men will get sentenced to death. Ten years later, Shelton is back and really pissed off with everyone who had something to do with the case. Wanting to teach Rice and his colleagues a thing or two about justice, he starts killing lawyers, judges and seemingly anyone who has ever even thought about going to law school.
The most frustrating thing about this is that this really could have been something more. Butler is genuinely excellent at the beginning, but as soon as he turns into the genius, dastardly villain, it's all downhill. He's continuously struck down by a script that seemingly started life as a Saw sequel. Foxx is pretty much unlikeable for the entire production: even when Butler is massacring innocent people, you're still more inclined to side with him than Foxx's cocky District Attorney.
Gray's direction is suitably slick, and he works the action and ludicrous death scenes well enough, while Butler does show he is more than capable of delivering the dramatics. It's just a shame the script feels like it was written by a pissed off 15 year old who just had the crap beaten out of him at school.
Review by Mike Sheridan : Agree/Disagree? Write a review... and win Cinema tickets!
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Your Reviews
amazing - asianfuzz
i havent even seen this movie but im sure its the best. awesome. stuning. fantastic. superb. excellent. for hollie; gerald butler is HOT :) for tanya; jack is HOT
Review Published 23 February 2010
Star Rating: 
AMAZING - ebony
i LOVE this movie. its fantastic!! Go see it or you will regret it. Besideds this board every person in my town i have talked to that has seen in absolultly thought it was fantastic.
Review Published 17 February 2010
Star Rating:
Letdown by script - kee
Good premise with a decent cast, and a not too shabby director, I expected a lot from this movie, but was very disappointed. The script is awful, with the 'twists' so obvious I was surprised they... MORE
Review Published 30 January 2010
Star Rating: 
PROBABLY THE WORSE ENDING IN THE WORLD!!! - HSP
Now I am an intelligent enough chap but certainly not in the league of Gerard Butler's character Clyde Shelton in this movie who outsmarts & outwits the whole US intelligence bureau with precise... MORE
Review Published 08 January 2010
Star Rating: 
Brilliant! - Sarah
I cant believe most people didnt like this film! I watched the trailer in the cinema and i wasnt sure that i would like it. I wasnt very pushed on seeing it. Today this was the only film that was on... MORE
Review Published 06 January 2010
Star Rating:
Disappointing - Alan001
This could have been a great movie, unfortunately it lost its will about half way through and the ending is truely appaling. Infact the ending is so bad I am sorry I watched it.
Review Published 31 December 2009
Star Rating: 
Action packed, but point missed - statute breaker
This movie is certainly full of action. Excited to see a "law abiding citizen" challenge the system after the system failed him terribly. Unfortuntately, along the way the viewer looses sight of... MORE
Review Published 30 December 2009
Star Rating:
Main reviewers a chump - MLorrey
The main reviewer IMHO is a shill for the law and order lobby, which obviously has a problem with a film that criticizes how the legal system works and depicts an average joe pursuing a vendetta... MORE
Review Published 25 December 2009
Star Rating: 
Would recommend this movie. - Shane
This is the type of movie that will keep you entertained throughout. Well acted and the story-line was interesting. Definitely the best acting performance of Gerald Butler. He played the psychopath... MORE
Review Published 21 December 2009
Star Rating:
Great Movie - Arthur
If someone saw Seven and Hannibal will be happy enough!!! I enjoy every minut and recommend this film!!!
Review Published 19 December 2009
Star Rating:
Enjoyable, but done before. - Slugs
I'll have to disagree with the main reviewer on his thoughts on Law Abiding Citizen. I really don't see how it could even be remotely considered a Saw sequel. It's not a gorefest, or a murderous... MORE
Review Published 17 December 2009
Star Rating:
Very Good - benzo365
This critic is a dope the movie was really good!
Review Published 14 December 2009
Star Rating:
Very entertaining - seamyfox
Ok i don't know how this film only got 2 stars. I don't understand whats not to like about this film. Its a gripping thriller and has some very funny moments by butler (who is amazing as a bad guy).... MORE
Review Published 14 December 2009
Star Rating:
Great Movie, - Alex
I see there is only a ** rating, and on Radio I did not hear very good reviews, but the movie was very well made and totally watchable from start to end. It gets 5 *'s from me. The plot was very well... MORE
Review Published 13 December 2009
Star Rating:
Definitely not a Saw sequel - Armin Tamsarian
I nearly didn't bother watching this after reading and hearing some of the negative reviews. Watched it last night and I found it thoroughly entertaining, the movie did't go too far over the... MORE
Review Published 07 December 2009
Star Rating:
great!!!! - landyspeed
This was very entertaining and an enjoyable --we loved it
Review Published 04 December 2009
Star Rating:
Funny at points - Culabula
The main problem there was that it wasn't really supposed to be. This is a movie that thought it was cleverer than it actually was when it was actually quite ludicrous. I thought it felt like one of... MORE
Review Published 03 December 2009
Star Rating:
excellent - darren
went to see this film last night and before watching i read the reviews and thought oh this might not be that good, but watching it, it was excellent, it really gets into to it from the start, from... MORE
Review Published 03 December 2009
Star Rating:
Entertaining Action Movie - Seamus '85
Not the most realistic of stories and it is not going to be nominated for next years Oscars but this is an enjoyable action movie to say the least. The motivation for Butler's character is obvious... MORE
Review Published 01 December 2009
Star Rating:
A movie well worth watching - Saphor
This movie is NOT deserving of a 2 star rating. Its engaging, well acted, fast moving with the occasional surprise here and there. Certainly the twist in the end could have been stronger and it was a... MORE
Review Published 01 December 2009
Star Rating:
Enjoyable - ignore the reviews - declanh
Movies are meant to be a place where you can go and suspend disbelief for a while, and be entertained by a story that presents you with a different perspective on life, allow you to laugh, force you... MORE
Review Published 29 November 2009
Star Rating:
An OK action movie - Siobhan L
Butler plays Clyde Shelton, a man who watching his wife and child murdered. Jamie Foxx plays the DA who maintained his 97% conviction rate and made a deal giving one of the men a 5 year senence.... MORE
Review Published 29 November 2009
Star Rating:
Great Movie - dmn7777
As usual the reviews on this site are out of tune with reality. Great movie, very engaging, The type of role suited Butler as it did in the phantom.
Review Published 28 November 2009
Star Rating:
deadly movie - christopher buckley
the very best action sci-fi thriller of the year. bruttal clever and very intense.gerard butler and jamie foxx star in the best action thriller of the year
Review Published 26 November 2009
Star Rating:
Excellent - couldn't ask for more - deli
Saw this film recently while on a visit to the states. I love Gerrard Butler and would pretty much go to see him in anything(actually that romantic comedy was awful) but this has to be the darkest... MORE
Review Published 03 November 2009
Star Rating:
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