Jon Avnet isn’t Michael Mann or Martin Scorsese, officially.
Image Courtesy of IMPawards.com
Director: Jon Avnet
Notable Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Carla Gugino
Earlier in 2008, 88 Minutes limped into theatres after several years of being held in post-production limbo, another awful film dumped into theatres in the first quarter. The hope was that Jon Avnet’s second film of 2008, with an all star cast and a traditional cop pairing of two of history’s all time great actors, would defy expectations. With a unique visual style, Avnet has a unique style that didn’t transfer to the crime genre due to an extremely weak script with a “twist” that was noticeable from the film’s opening minute. Righteous Kill relies on this twist to, and while it certainly is an improvement from 88 Minutes, unfortunately it isn’t a significant one. It has plenty of potential, though, but the film’s “shocking” twist to begin the final act kills all of its momentum.
Turk (Robert De Niro) and Rooster (Al Pacino) are two older, seasoned detectives of the NYPD. When a serial killer is taking out criminals, the two of them are responsible for bringing the killer to justice. When the evidence starts to go in the direction that a police officer is behind them, the two have a lot of issues to figure out. It makes for an interesting ethical dilemma, as the killer is targeting criminals who didn’t get the chance to get justice, and the first sixty minutes of the film is a great example of how to do a police procedural. It’s an absolute white knuckle thriller, as we’re on the hunt with De Niro’s narration giving the film a certain inevitability to the proceedings.
Avnet, after a bit of an awkward setup, gets into his story. Turk and Rooster are old hands, guys who should’ve retired years ago but stay aboard for the love of the chase. De Niro and Pacino have an amazing chemistry together, as they play to each other’s strengths as actors and as characters. Rooster is an intelligent, thoughtful man who’s very cerebral in what he does. Turk is a man who’s best described as a “Pit-bull on crack” due to his aggressive behavior. They make for an interesting team, complimenting one another in a way only two men who’ve worked together for years can. They’re a pair that has probably solved some major cases, complimenting each other’s weaknesses with their strengths, and the two actors mesh together well. For their third time in the same movie ever, the two have more than enough chemistry to carry slow moments of the film. They are arguably the two best actors of their generation, so it does make sense they’d work together beautifully.
And the film hums along until Avnet’s big reveal, effectively ruining all the good will built up and crashing what could’ve been a minor crime classic into the same level 88 Minutes falls into: mindless schlock. It’s disappointing, especially considering this is a first rate cast outside of De Niro and Pacino. John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg make nice foils to Pacino and De Niro, holding their own with the veteran actors, and Brian Dennehy makes what’s essentially a glorified cameo as their police chief. Even Curtis Jackson, more famous as “50 Cent,” manages to make the most out of a good part as a drug dealer with grander ambitions. Its one of the stronger casts of a crime film in recent years, holding its own with The Departed, American Gangster,Miami Vice and a handful of others that boasted high profile casts.
It’s just a shame that the film takes a plot twist that is justified through a Deus Ex Machina flashback. Righteous Kill is a disappointing film, but it’s not a surprise though. For a film that combines the talents of De Niro and Pacino, the lack of hype surrounding it before its release is justifiable. It’s a mess of a film and something to avoid paying top dollar for.
