The Edge of Darkness - Cineworld - 30/1/10

Mel Gibson hasn't appeared in front of the camera for a few years now, focusing instead on his directorial career. During that time it has been easy to forget that Gibson is, despite some of his alleged personal views, a warm and engaging character on screen.

Here Mel plays Tommy Craven, a Boston detective who finds himself cradling the body of his daughter as she lies dying after a hitman misses him and kills her by mistake. Except of course the hitman has found his target and pretty soon Mel finds himself drawn into a murky world of corrupt Senators, secretive secret agents, nuclear weapons manufacturers and dodgy policemen as he tries to uncover the truth behind her death.

This is pretty standard revenge movie fare with few surprises but plenty to distract you...I'm still not entirely sure who Ray Winstones character "Jedburgh" was or what he was meant to be doing for example. It also seemed at times that Mel had managed to force his own religious views into the pot with his dead daughters voice offering comfort to him, a very deliberate shot of Mels crucifix and the appearance of Mel and his dead daughter heading into the light at the films end. Maybe these were already in the script but after his indiscretions I do wonder if this was an attempt to appeal to a certain demographic and to rehabilitate Mel in the public eye.

I'm not paranoid.

I know they're out to get me.

Which could be the tagline for the poster for "The Edge of Darkness".