Review of Movie, Death Sentence

The main reason I go to Kevin Bacon movies, other than he is a very attractive actor, is that you are guaranteed something bad is going to happen. Think River Wild and Hollow Man. In Death Sentence, Bacon plays Nick Hume, a seemingly successful financial planner, with the beautiful house, the gorgeous wife (Kelly Preston) and two young and well-adjusted sons. This happy American family is depicted to us in a series of home movies at the beginning of the film, which bring us to the present day. Nick and his eldest son, Brendan (played by Stuart Rafferty), are driving at night in a not so great part of town discussing what any sensible young hockey player would decide to do - go to college in Canada.

After being harassed and disturbed by some gang members driving around in a couple of hot rod cars, Nick comes to the unfortunate conclusion that he must stop for gas. It is here that his and Brendan's lives change forever.

Now, bear in mind that this film is directed by James Wan, who also directed Saw, so abject vegeance and violence ensue when Nick, besieged with grief, realizes that the punishment does not always fit the crime. In a courtroom scene, much to the shock of his attorney and the compassionate homicide detective, Detective Wallace (Aisha Tyler), we instinctively know that Nick is about to take the law into his own hands.

I don't want to give any more of this film away. From this point on, our hero Nick, once a devoted husband and father, takes a psychological turn to the dark side, terrifying his wife and causing his youngest son, Lucas (Jordan Garrett) to question whether favoritism among sons was at play. The clever Detective Wallace smells a fish in the wind, espying Nick's newly bandaged hand and his unrattled reaction when she tells him of a major event involving his case. But Nick doesn't stop there. Pandora's Box is now open and he continues to wage war on those responsible for his family tragedy. The charming and mild-mannered Nick goes and buys weapons strong enough to blow up a battle ship with one bullet. He changes his appearance and takes on a one-man-against-the enemy role with such effective and subtle conviction as only Kevin Bacon could portray.

From here on, the action picks up and includes events that are, I admit, over the top to say the least, but I still remained engrossed despite this fact, and sat on the edge of my seat during a foot chase,which Bacon believably played with no stand-ins.

I would rate this film a 3 out of 4.