A silly yet enjoyable popcorn muncher

Rating: 6/10 (27 October 2009)

There's no two ways about it, Law Abiding Citizen is a stupid movie. That's not to say it isn't entertaining, which it is.
This is the classic case of a film constructed on an implausible premise, making use of ridiculous leaps of faith, to tell a story that is jam packed with popcorn munching entertainment.
I know it sounds conflicted, but if you can buy into premises that the dead can walk or an alien from the planet Krypton can fly and be Earth's saviour, then turning off the brain's logic switch won't be a titanic effort to enjoy a movie that delivers such a fun ride. This isn't to say that Kurt Wimmer's screenplay doesn't try to provide a plausible explanation for what transpires, but that it's a stretch by any leap of the imagination.
The movie tells the story of Clyde Shelton (Butler), a mysterious Philadelphia electronics hobbyist whose life is suddenly torn asunder when his home is invaded by two thieves who murder his wife and young daughter.
Enter Nick Rice (Foxx), a career-minded prosecuting attorney more concerned with blemishes to his conviction rate than actual justice. Fearing acquittal, Rice works out a plea bargaining deal which sees one of the two robbers do minimal prison time, and the other sentenced to death row. Only problem is it's the thief who did the killing who gets off lightly. Thus is laid the foundation for Shelton's epic quest for revenge, not merely targeting the killers, but the entire justice system which he sees as corrupt.
Director F. Gary Gray (2003's The Italian Job) does a yeoman job ensuring there's a good mix of action and story, and the performance of all involved is capable and adequate. My only reservation rests on the decision to make Gerard Butler speak with an American accent, which makes the Scottish actor at times appear as though he's got a mouth full of marbles.
If you like things "blowed up real good" and have no trouble with plot devices that stretch credibility, you'll find Law Abiding Citizen a fun ride. I did.