NMR: Edge of Darkness

This was touted as Mel Gibson's return to acting since he last starred in Signs back in 2002 and I would imagine most people were disappointed with it. While it's a perfectly fine revenge thriller, there's nothing really special here. The title is particularly misleading I feel, since Gibson's character never really comes close to hitting the 'edge of darkness' in his quest to find his daughter's killer. I was expecting more Jack Bauer levels of anger and torture as he sought revenge, but they weren't forthcoming here. Instead, we get another shady Blackwater-esque government-funded organization as the villain and Gibson dutifully hits all the right beats in obtaining justice. I liked Martin Campbell's (Casino Royale) direction here as he made the film more lively, rather than another one of these washed-out, murky, film noir wannabes. I also appreciated Ray Winstone's performance as a man hired to help cover-up the incident. Edge of Darkness is an enjoyable enough 2 hours making it all right for rental, just don't expect an instant classic. Rating: ***