Movie Review: A History Of Violence

7/10

A fine example of less is more filmmaking this, from a past master at chucking all sorts of unnecessary gore about, David Cronenberg. Unlike some of his other work (The Fly is reviewed elsewhere on the Blog) this is a measured, thoughtful adaptation of the original story, from a comic book, sorry - a GRAPHIC NOVEL.

The difference between a comic book and a graphic novel is a useful tool to describe how this movie is different from many others. If we look at, say, SAW as an example of comic book movie making, all bangs and flashes, then the graphic novel approach is immeasurably more mature and sensible. If you've read something like Batman: Year One or Watchmen then you'll know that while both are ridiculous in premise as ever, but show a maturity and grit missing from the original campy superheros. Even men in tights can be improved greatly by the Graphic Novel approach. Many other artists and writers have told more down to earth stories in graphic novel form, and this is one of them.

Should say though, there aren't any superheros in this one - this is a very sensible movie about a fairly ridiculous situation - Viggo Mortensen is reliable as ever as a man who inadvertently attracts all sorts of attention after killing two would be robbers in his diner. None of it is particularly welcome, but the arrival of a group of gangsters who claim to know him from years ago, and who harbour a grudge, is definitely the least welcome of it all.

All the acting, from Mortensen to Harris is absolutely fine and dandy, and the story is intriguing too - though I was expecting a bigger twist than that which eventually comes, and the direction is sane, yet nuflinching, focussing on sudden acts of violence which seem fairly realistic, though the final confrontation with William Hurt's character veers a little too close to comedy for some people to stomach, I'll wager.

Overall I had a great time, I'm not totally sure this is for everyone though, since its morals are a little ambiguous - and the realistic but fairly open ending may irritate rather than excite.

A