Reviews

I've been a fan of James Wan for years. Though I didn't enjoy his "Dead Silence (2007)," I'm a fan of the entire "Saw" series, and I know many prefer Wan's original to the many sequels that followed. I saw Wan as talented and having potential, and so I decided to rent "Death Sentence." I already knew what it was about, but I gave it a try anyways. And I'm glad I did. The film, instead of going as cliché as previous vendetta films (like "The Punisher"), it made it feel real. You saw the progression of a family man into a killer, without thinking "whatever." Each death was shocking, each action scene suspenseful. The performances stand out, especially Kevin Bacon as the grieving father and John Goodman as a dirty gun dealer. The directing makes you worry, surprises you, makes you feel for these people. I could tell the musical score was by Charlie Clouser, who has composed for all the "Saw" films and even Wan's "Dead Silence," and yet it was much more tranquil than those films. The entire film was both Wan's and Clouser's most mature film to date, showing real craftsmanship within the film and showing depth. Calm in the chaos. Ultimately, it's worth the ride, even if you may feel like this film's story (a family man goes for revenge) has been done too many times.

I may be a bit generous with the star-rating system, true. But I do know what I was feeling after the credits started rolling. Disappointment. And don't get me wrong. I am a huge Mike Myers fan. I am a devout fan of Austin Powers, Wayne's World (where's #3 in the series???), and, actually, yes, I did enjoy Cat in the Hat, although it was not a piece of art. And I understand if fans of Mike Myers will still go to see this film. I did after all, even after reading the terrible reviews. Sadly, this time, the critics were correct. Mike knows better. The director should've known better. Mike Myers's return to live action comedy is more than disappointing. Even the character, Your Holiness the Guru Pitka, was unlikeable (which is a first for a Mike Myers character). He was so full of himself, so damn selfish, no one cared if he succeeded. His giggle-fits were too common to spark a slight giggle from the audience. And although the women in the film were pure eye-candy (Jessica Alba, Meagan Good, even Mariska Hargitay and Jessica Simpson made cameos), they became little more than that with such a flat script. Sorry Mike. Maybe next time. A fourth Austin Powers would be quite a way to get back in the game with your biggest fans:)