The performances are all solid. Timothy Olyphant really stands out. He provides a compelling character who has a lot going on. He plays a character who takes his job and his relationships seriously while also not being perfect. This is easily one of his better performances (easily above the likes of Hitman and Live Free or Die Hard). Not to be left behind is Joe Anderson as the deputy. He is nearly unrecognizable here (a few times I thought it was Clifton Collins Jr.) and is quite interesting in his approach to the role.
The biggest surprise here may be director Breck Eisner (son of former Disney CEO Michael Eisner). His biggest film prior to this was Sahara, a middling adventure film. Here he brings a distinct style. He uses some interesting angles and knows how to keep the tension in place. Very good.
Bottom line. This movie is such a surprise. I honestly was not expecting much from it, but got a film teeming with paranoid tension. It makes you question things. This is how you make an effective remake — feed off the original, improve on the execution, and remain true to the source. It is no great film, but very effective with interesting characters, a decent amount of gore, and a good story.
Recommended.
.jpg?t=20130517094513)
Article comments