Defining "edge of your seat" thriller...
Denzel
Washington plays Matt Whitlock, a police chief
in the Florida Keys in this noir-thriller that
really ratchets up the tension throughout. He is
having an affair with a married woman, whose
husband is an abusive thug. He is also in the
midst of a separation from his own wife,
Detective Alex Whitlock, which seems destined
for divorce. And finally, he is also storing
$485,000 from a drug bust that he led, until the
conclusion of the trial. Those ingredients all
add up to a noir-thriller with twists and turns,
double-crosses and back-stabs.
Films like this are successful only when the
director stylizes the action and suspense in
ways that make us forget the standard clichés
and routine plot threads. Most noir incorporates
the same general themes and many of the same
scenes, and it is difficult to differentiate
between them. But director Carl Franklin hits
all the right notes and has us on the edge of
our seat from credits to credits. I had to laugh
at some points because the tension was
unbearable.
I really enjoyed this film and highly recommend
it to fans of the genre. Denzel Washington isn't
spectacular here... it's not the kind of film
that requires a magnificent performance. This
film is plot driven and relies on timing and
sure-handed editing. This ticking time-bomb of a
movie makes for a fun night at the theatre.
©
Written by TC Candler
Richard
Propes' Comment
n/a
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
