Don't believe the naysayers

Rating: 7/10 (24 January 2010)

To those who may think (and quite rightfully so) that the vendetta/ vigilante genre has been seen, done, that the t-shirt has been purchased and then thrown away: Law Abiding Citizen is still worth your while.
Though Gerard Butler appears so far to have taken on quite generic roles that don't really demand exceptional skills even if he does perform well in them (Dear Frankie, The Phantom of the Opera (a good voice was required here, and the Butler delivered), 300, and the like) he gives himself a slightly edgier challenge with Law Abiding Citizen.
Here he must be Clyde Shelton, someone that to all appearances is just a "regular guy" as he informs the judge at one point: an engineer/ tinkerer who holds a number of patents for some inventions. A man who loves his family - the love for his daughter is evident at the beginning, and will remain throughout.
Yet there is more to Shelton. This is where Law-Abiding Citizen sets itself apart from the recent Kevin Bacon, Jodie Foster (in my opinion abortive), et alii attempts.
The whole idea of the individual man taking on the regulation of justice, of what is good and wrong, of giving himself the power to dish out fatal punishment is thrown out of the window in this film. There is no room for doubt; even in the first instances of Shelton's revenge his reasoning cannot support the methods he employs and the ends he achieves, even if his overarching intelligence is astonishing. Nevertheless Butler still manages to garner our sympathy during the initial stages of the movie.
The script, acting, soundtrack, pace - everything is well selected and executed in Law-Abiding Citizen. Jamie Foxx, though it appears he was initially cast as Shelton, still pulled the egocentric lawyer through successfully.
Butler as Shelton is quite impressive. As we slowly gain more insight into his mind his undeniable insanity unfolds smoothly and eerily. It is the depth of his character that keeps the movie going. Bruce MgGill as the elder lawyer Cantrel advising Nick Rice (Foxx) is worthy of note, and Colm Meaney could have been put to more use as he is a superb actor. Finally, Leslie Bibb put on a surprisingly good performance.
If you enjoy thrillers with hard-hitting action added in the mix, this picture is for you. 7.5/10