REVIEW: EDGE OF DARKNESS (15)
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AFTER a seven-year acting hiatus Mel Gibson is back, craggier and more furrow-browed than ever.
Based on the 1980s BBC TV series, EDGE OF DARKNESS (15) follows Boston detective Thomas Craven (Gibson) as he tries to uncover the shady Government business dealings that he suspects are behind the murder of his activist daughter.
Danny Huston plays the creepy nuclear plant boss determined to break any suspicious fingers pointing at him, and Ray Winston is the elusive "fixer"- a man hired by anyone looking to scupper an investigation.
This is not your average revenge thriller with guns poking around every corner to mask a lack of depth. In contrast, the film almost goes too far the other way, with several scenes devoted to waffling cryptic chat. You can see the influence of the series' original director Martin Campbell here, trying to wedge in six hours of television time in a two-hour movie slot.
Gibson more than makes up for that lack of pace with a believable and charismatic portrayal of a bereaved father while the action sequences are genuinely shocking. With all the negative press Gibson has garnered over the last few years, it's easy to forget what a brilliant actor he is. - JO USMAR
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