such a disappointment

Rating: 2/10 (17 January 2010)

It would have been an easy 8 star bordering on 9 star film, unfortunately the end of the film was poor.
The director/film execs have decided that Rice (Foxx) has to survive along with some local officials. The whole point of the film was that the system was corrupt, everyone watching up to the end would have rooted for Shelton (Butler). There was no depth to the mayor's character or the heads of varying departments so no-one would have really objected to corrupt officials being "removed" from office.
Rice gets to walk away from it all free, he was the man that started the whole path of destruction off. If the mayor was to escape justice, the very least the director could have give us was a final scene with Rice being garroted by one of the special ties.
I would have had city hall blow, Rice kill Shelton (as he was advised to do) and then at the very end of the film, Rice's family leaving the house as he is trying to decide which tie to wear. Quick shot of his wife driving off with the kid in the car and then back to Rice tying his tie, struggling with it as he realises its one of Shelton's ties and then falling to the floor, choking to death. Finish it with him still alive but on the floor gasping for air - that way we'd never know. Then this film would get its 8 or 9 stars.
I think there is a big market for film makers to prevent the sugar coated endings, give the anti-hero a win, give the audience a film worth watching from start to end, just give us something other than this kind of disappointment.