A different prison(er) thriller

Rating: 8/10 (20 January 2013)

There are dozens of prison dramas where convicts try to persuade their innocence and most of the plot is based on letting viewers to guess are they right and whom to blame - some of them have even got Academy Awards or nominations at least. Law Abiding Citizen is "plain" in that sense: viewers are let to know about the guiltiness and the person in question does not deny it. Nevertheless, interesting twists and turns begin, a real cat-and-mouse play between legal personalities and a criminal mastermind. And here, at first, weaknesses of democracy are clearly visible - as solid proof is very hard to obtain. Anyway, the thrill is maintained throughout the movie (well, sometimes at the expense of rather improbable scenes, i.e. escapes and passing through high-level security), although the final 20 minutes are a bit protracted.
The cast is evenly strong, first and foremost the leading performers Jamie Foxx, Gerald Butler and Viola Davis in a memorable supporting role. Thus, it is recommendable to watch - despite some minor faults. The movie is intense, without chases and bursts, and no digital effects were necessary.