”You had better decide whether you’re hangin’ on the cross or bangin’ in the nails.”
Edge of Darkness marks Mel Gibson’s big return to acting since his last starring role in M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. In between, Gibson directed The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto while making controversial headlines over drunken arrests and anti-Semitic remarks. You’re ability to view the film may depend entirely on your ability to separate Gibson’s off-screen antics with his on-screen persona.
Gibson is Thomas Craven, a veteran of the Boston Police Department. He is having dinner with his daughter, Emma (Bojana Novakovic), when she becomes violently ill with vomiting and nosebleeds. Before they can even rush to the hospital, a masked gunman blows Emma away with a shotgun blast. Originally working under the assumption that he was the target, Craven soon discovers they were after his daughter. Craven learns that Emma may have been exposed to radiation while working for an energy corporation called Northmoor. His investigation uncovers a vast conspiracy involving corrupt senators, left-wing radicals, and illegal nuclear weapons. Along the way, Craven receives some vague assistance from Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), a shadowy fix-it man who chooses to help Craven rather than kill him as initially tasked.
Much like Traffic and State of Play, Edge of Darkness is based on a BBC mini-series directed by Martin Campbell. Campbell returns as director and was adapted by William Monahan, the screenwriter behind The Departed, which itself was a remake of Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs. Monahan’s fingerprints can be seen throughout the picture with its Boston setting and hardboiled dialogue. Having already helmed Goldeneye and Casino Royale, Campbell has proven to be a capable action director. There aren’t any elaborate Bond-like set pieces here, but Edge is sometimes suddenly and shockingly violent.
In his mid-50’s, Gibson is noticeably haggard, a far cry from the matinee idol looks of his younger days. Despite laying on the Bostonian accent a little thick, the role fits Gibson like a glove. No surprise since Gibson is no stranger to playing cops and his star-making role was in the revenge-themed Mad Max.
Edge of Darkness mixes those same revenge themes with elements of the 70’s-style political thrillers such as The Parallax View. But, Darkness is not nearly as nuanced. The twists and turns in the narrative are predictable and the characters are one-dimensional. No one is more than they appear to be. We know Northmoor CEO Jack Bennett, played by Danny Huston, is the big bad for no other reason than he’s played by Danny Huston.
Muddying things up are a series of dream sequences in which Craven sees visions of his daughter as a child. These, along with a rather preposterous third act, are the film’s biggest shortcomings.
Rating: **
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