liked it but so bothered by these few things

Rating: 7/10 (11 July 2010)

This was a pretty darn good movie. I absolutely abhor the beginning violence, even though it is I guess, necessary for setting up the story and the anger/frustration etc. for the main character. I just have a difficult time with the thought of children being hurt and this was just a little much.
One thing about Gerard Butler's character. Towards the end when it is shown that he has a way in and out of solitary, with that tunnel etc. to that big building/warehouse, we are to believe that he didn't leave multiple booby traps behind in case someone figured it all out? COME ON!!!!!!! He was smart enough, way smarter than the D.A. and other criminals, why in heck would he NOT put up some sort of trap or multiple traps or even a camera monitoring his entrance and way back into jail? That was so stupid I guess Kurt Wimmer had written himself into a wall. Not to mention, the bomb on Gerard's cell NOT have a way to turn the bomb off? Just in case something came up that he might want to change his mind or do something else? COME ON!!!!
He might have been in that cell with the bomb "called" and started, but he could have easily had some sort of code to punch in to stop it. Or to get out of that cell. That would have left Mr. Wimmer with an open for a second film as well. Where the D.A. and cops think Gerard's character is dead, due to the explosion, but it shows an alternative tunnel, no one knew about and a dark fellow escaping? Duh.
I don't normally get so annoyed, but the fact that Gerard's character had SO many things going in his favor due to his intelligence, no traps or safeguards for his tunnel and his own protection is just ridiculous. Kurt Wimmer, if you read this, please don't do that again.
All in all, Gerard did an excellent job of being the smart bad-good-guy. Even though he was systematically killing off the people that had worked on the murderer's cases years before, he was very believable as the man who has lost his heart and his love in a horribly, violent way. I still felt sorry for his situation, through all the violence.
The situation may have originated with the killers, but the following violence and tortures were due to the D.A. and assistant D.A. and could have been prevented. So frustrating.
Okay, enough of this. Worth watching, but if you have a difficult time watching mom's and children get murdered, wait 5 minutes and come in after all that.