Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone & Danny Huston
Mel Gibson’s return to the big screen is a rather unimpressive thriller that while featuring a decent performance from Gibson, is too predictable to really impress and suffers in comparison to the 1980s TV drama on which it is based.
Edge of Darkness comes to cinema screens behind a wealth of expectation. Not only does it adapt a highly regarded BBC TV drama from the 1980s, but also marks the first acting role of Mel Gibson in seven years with him not only having to try and re-establish his credentials as a leading man but also to overcome the huge amount of negative publicity his off screen actions have gained in recent years. The resulting film, in spite of being adapted by the same director of the original TV drama, is unfortunately too predictable in its story and execution to make enough of an impression on audiences or Gibson’s career.
When police detective Thomas Craven (Gibson) reunites with his estranged daughter after many years only to see her brutally gunned down shortly afterwards by an attacker, supposedly, out to hurt Craven; Craven, in his grief, goes on the hunt for the perpetrators and for revenge despite being warned off by his colleagues and soon finds his daughter was really the target as she is revealed to have been involved in an attempt to expose the unethical practices of a corporation dealing with nuclear materials. Confronted by a man named Jedburgh (Winstone), hired to stop Craven from finding the truth, Craven’s situation endears him to Jedburgh who, instead, appears to have a change of heart and decides to aid Craven in uncovering the truth and getting his vengeance.
First of all, as an adaptation of the 1980s TV drama, Edge of Darkness disappoints and does so more given that is adapted by the director of that TV drama, Martin Campbell. Whilst retaining some elements like the involvement of nuclear materials and corporate cover ups, Campbell’s attempts to streamline the plot into a straight revenge thriller and exorcising much of more complex and political elements that made the original drama so engaging, Edge of Darkness becomes to simplified and predictable with many character’s left undeveloped including their motives. With the exception of Winstone’s Jedburgh, there is little doubt over who can or cannot be trusted, who is guilty and, given the levels of violence, how the guilty will suffer. As a thriller, there are action sequences that are fairly decent and quite brutal but, again, don’t offer anything particularly memorable.
Being Mel Gibson’s return to the big screen, his performance is fairly decent and his presence bearing enough weight to drive the film and remind of why he has been a popular leading man in the past however, Gibson’s performance isn’t particular memorable even for Gibson who has performed similar revenge driven roles in films like Ransom and Payback and did far more effectively and memorably. The role and performance presents a Gibson restrained. Ray Winstone performs decently in a role more enjoyable than Gibson’s though, like Gibson, offers nothing particular memorable from Winstone and compares unfavourably with the role as performed by Joe Don Baker in the 1980s (with Gibson’s also less satisfactory or well developed than Bob Peck’s original performance). In the role of main villain, Danny Huston is effectively slimy and cruel but it too is a role that offers nothing new for audiences or Huston.
Overall, Edge of Darkness is a decent but generally underwhelming adaptation of the original BBC drama. Gibson and Winstone put in average performances but the film and performances don’t stand up to the quality of the original TV drama or compare favourably with similar revenge dramas. The film might satisfy some audiences and fans of Gibson but it is too average to be memorable.
Rating: 2/5
