Morgan Freeman is the man!

Rating: 9/10 (13 November 2007)

Freeman's performance in this is everything you could want from an actor, so little of which is present these days in Hollywood films. He displays patience, subtlety, and control. Without sacrificing authority, power or charisma. It is a textbook performance. In fact, I'm not so sure it's a performance as that it's something he can do on demand in just about any situation. His part is well written to be sure, but it the hands of someone else, it could have been much less than what it is here.
The movie itself, apart from his performance, is one of the best of this genre, if not the ideal. Gore is implied for the most part, as opposed to splashed onto the camera. The horror is very real, and is effective as to be unsettling in parts, in large part because it feels as though is could easily be possible. A glimpse into man at his worst.
Spacey's bad guy is someone whose motives are pure, so much so that even when the movie could have almost had us emphasizing with him on some of the choices of his victims (though definitely not this methods of punishment) he stays the course, and we realize that no one if safe from what he perceives as the only form of truth and justice, his own. There are people out there like him, thankfully the vast majority of them keep their thoughts on these matters from progressing to action.
If there is one scene that you wish could have been extended, it is the conversation between Freeman and Spacey in the car. And if I had a second choice it would be the scene at the bar between Freeman and Pitt.
Pitt's not bad in a role that doesn't have a lot of meat to it. Almost any of the developed parts are good, even smaller roles like Richard Roundtree's or the detective's boss.
Great film, not just because of Freeman's performance, but it is a showpiece, without being showy. Can't remember the last time I saw that in a Hollywood film.