Edge of Darkness (DVD, 2010)

Unlike Richard Donner's Conspiracy Theory from 1997, Gibson seems to have all his senses about him here and is able to focus on driving his obsessive compulsions with a striking force not to be reckoned with by the faint-hearted.
Donner's film was indeed interesting a times yet it was so far-fetched to believe that a guy could be this paranoid that it soon got old and the story-line kind of fell flat. I tried several times to watch Conspiracy Theory but found myself falling asleep, possibly because the Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts) thing was so totally distracting to the film. When two big stars are poised together in an action or mystery, the chemistry seems to be all wrong because the reality factor is so hard to shake. How can you fall into a film when you are always saying to yourself, "This is Mel and Julia, why aren't they letting them make out or fall in love? What a waste! I think that's the usual clinching underlying factor that ruins a film for me. What about you?

On the other hand, this quick paced film is not just another revenge film like Taken (2008) where a father goes on a hunt to try and kill the perpetrator of a crime. The story actually develops into a very involved thriller that is entwined around her activist daughter who has gotten herself mixed up in something way bigger than he soon imagines. It's really strange to think that this is Mel Gibson's first lead role in 8 years coming after his performance in Signs in 2002.

Edge of Darkness introduces us to the homicide detective Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) in a much different manner. We see him at his most vulnerable when he soon witnesses his adult daughter get shoot on the front steps of his home. Craven blankly stares into space for hours as his buddies examine the evidence. We soon understand that this has destroyed his already fragile world. He becomes determined to find the answers as he systematically unwinds the mysteries involved in her daughters Emma's (Bojana Novakovic) death.

Ray Winstone has a very small part in this film. He tries to convince Craven that the can of worms are way to big to open. Of course, as we soon discover, Craven will not remain still and silent about his intent to expose those responsible. Even though it is never really determined who the actual killer could have been from the beginning, Craven serendipitously puts two and two together to solve this complicated puzzle. Robert De Niro was originally cast as Darius Jedburgh played by Winstone, but dropped out due to creative differences after a few days on the set.

Danny Huston as Jack Bennett was extremely convincing. He became terrifically scary because of the power that he had. It's funny that this is the second film in which Danny Huston is part of a company involved in a conspiracy and is also willing to kill to keep its secrets. The first film was The Constant Gardener (2005). In both films the main character is trying to solve the murder of a loved one and ends up being killed by the company.

Another, and most disturbing thing in the film was when the informant was meeting with Craven in his car. When she steps out of the car with the camera shooting outside the car, someone suddenly swipes the informant with another car. The scene was extremely sudden and disturbing. Whereas most people would go crazy or go in to shock, Craven continued to pursue his objectives.

Another reversal is that the original series had Craven as English and Jedburgh as American.

As a seasoned homicide detective, Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) has seen the bleakest side of humanity. But nothing prepares him for the toughest investigation of his life: the search for his only daughter Emma's (Bojana Novakovic) killer. Now, he is on a personal mission to uncover the disturbing secrets surrounding her murder, including corporate corruption, government collusion and Emma's own mysterious life.

CAST: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts, Caterina Scorsone, David Aaron Baker, Jay O. Sanders, Denis O'Hare

Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) welcomes his daughter home only to see her gunned down on his front porch. This shocking beginning to this action thriller is just the start of a great movie that will leave you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. There are shockers and twists and turns that are somewhat unexpected.

Mel Gibson proves that he still has what it takes to be a great action star and the Director of this film portrays Gibson's character in a way that is exactly what it needed to be.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves good action and great acting.

Like it or not Mel Gibson is one of the greats. Thats just the way it goes. I don't think the camera leaves him for more then 10 seconds in the film and he is entertaining and believable the entire time. He does lose the Boston accent from time to time. the plot is decent but if your a fan of the suspense genre, this is a must. 3 stars.

Thomas Craven, a single father, has been a Boston homicide detective for many years. His 24-year-old daughter Emma, his only child, is killed on the front steps of his home. At first it appears that Craven was the intended target. He soon uncovers evidence that leads him to think differently, and decides to pursue the information at all costs. He learns his daughter led a secret life that led to her murder. He quickly finds himself confronted with a shadowy world of corporate collusion with government-sanctioned murder. In the process he collides with a secret government operative, Darius Jedburgh, whose job is to clean up and hide any remaining evidence. Craven's singleness of purpose in finding answers about Emma's death becomes a transforming experience that changes his life.

Mel Gibson has not lost his touch. The script is smart and very well written. Mel Gibson is very intense and sincere in his role as both a grieving father and police detective who needed to uncover the truth. There are some great action scenes in this movie. I really enjoyed it. Mel is definitely back and in his element in this movie.