Cool, but what does it really show in the end?

Rating: 6/10 (26 October 2009)

No, I'm not telling you what happens in the end. Relax.
So main guy Clyde, played very well by Butler, goes up against society and it's justice system because his family was murdered and one of the murderers goes free. He takes 10 years to develop a plan, and he's going to involve his original lawyer, Nick Rice, played by Foxx. Nick made a shady deal that allowed the criminals to have soft sentences. Somehow, Clyde orchestrates a series of murders, all from his prison cell, and no one can figure out how he does it. At first, Clyde goes after the bad guys, but it's soon revealed that he had a lot more in mind, such as government officials.
What works here is Gerard Butler. He looks like he is enjoying himself as he sits back and watches his plan unfold, teaching people "lessons". Sort of reminds me of Saw in that respect. What doesn't work is Foxx, or at least the script of his character. We know that he has acting chops, he played so well in 'Ray', but there's no way he convinces me as a D.A., simply because there are just too many things someone of his intelligence would never do. The movie eventually gets a bit out there in the "real" department because this infection of things that are improbable start affecting other things too. Since the movie is taking itself seriously, I have to come to the conclusion that it wants you to believe everything here is on the ball. I'm not sure if I enjoyed how it eventually ended, either. What did we all learn from it? How could anyone have taken the actions and words of something similar to a terrorist to heart as a comfortable life lesson? Unfortunately, we first like Clyde a lot, sympathize with him, then we are forced to hate him. You know how Charles Bronson, Rambo, or any other "I'm gonna get you" character is still somewhat likable in the end? Not here.
But let me not hit too hard because I still enjoyed the revenge-but-something-bigger-than-that based story. Some of the scenes were clever, and it did have some cool AH HA! moments. Just don't think about it too much.