Plot
In New York City, a crime lord's right-hand man is seduced by one of his boss's victims, a woman seeking retribution.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 7.2/10 (1,342 voted)
Director:Niels Arden Oplev
Storyline
Victor, a rising gangland player, has infiltrated the crime empire run by ruthless kingpin Alphonse, with the single purpose of making Alphonse pay for destroying his once happy life. As he meticulously orchestrates his vengeance from his high-rise home, Victor watches and is watched by Beatrice, a mysterious young woman who lives in the apartment across from his. On the surface a fragile woman-child, Beatrice seethes with a rage of her own. When she uncovers Victor's dark secrets, she threatens to expose him unless he helps her carry out her own campaign of retribution. Each fixated on avenging the past, they devise a violent and cathartic plan that could change their worlds forever.
Filming Locations: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Opening Weekend: $5,345,250
(USA)
(8 March 2013)
Gross: $5,345,250
(USA)(8 March 2013)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia: Stu Bennett ("Kilroy") performs as a professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the name Wade Barrett. WWE Films is one of the producers of this film. See more »
User Review
A fascinatingly grim look at revenge and, less commonly, the aftermath.
Rating:
The revenge genre is often a tired one. The majority are either so
sullen that they lose sight of what makes these fantasies entertaining
or too silly to offer any glimpse of realism or consequence. "Dead Man
Down" offers just the right amount of grittiness to be taken seriously,
but also maintains its own identity with a heavy focus on character
development and a more philosophical viewpoint on the nature of getting
even. The vengeful gangster and his plight may be a repetitive
backstory, but the cryptic structuring, attention to emotion, and
competent acting strengthens the refreshingly fluctuating twists. While
the conclusion digresses into a prosaic, albeit satisfying action
sequence, it doesn't dilute the antiheros' uniquely warped relationship
or their infectiously harsh personalities.
When crime lord Alphonse's (Terence Howard) men begin turning up
murdered, along with enigmatic clues elaborating on the responsible
party, the gangster looks to his henchmen Victor (Colin Farrell) and
Darcy (Dominic Cooper) for answers. But Victor has his own plans,
including a labored revenge scheme against those that wronged him in
the past. As he steadily brings his complex machinations to fruition,
he starts an unlikely relationship with his neighbor, Beatrice (Noomi
Rapace), an emotionally damaged woman with desires just as ominous as
his. Forced into a vicious cycle of vengeance, Victor must attempt to
not only satisfy his demons but also salvage the soul of his newfound
companion.
Adorned with an impossibly generic title, "Dead Man Down" is
unexpectedly an absorbingly unique revenge fantasy. Devoid of the
typical action, adventure, and beauteous damsels-in-distress, it is
instead a morbidly dark, fascinatingly grim look at revenge and, less
commonly, the aftermath. The emotions experienced by the hateful, the
murderous, and the defensive are scrutinized beyond the normal array of
purely evil entities undergoing deserved comeuppance. Nothing is black
and white in the film – instead, every character is tinged with
complications and questionable qualities, making this group of
antiheroes unpredictable, sympathetic, or repugnant in alternating
turns.
It's rare to see a crime thriller spend so much time on character
development. It's also quite welcome – the ulterior motives, extortive
attitudes, and sabotage aren't awkwardly spontaneous but rather
sensible operations for generously analyzed mentalities. These aren't
cardboard cutouts; and excessive dialogue doesn't make up for lack of
substance. Instead, director Niels Arden Oplev opts for prolonged,
brooding facial communications that convey much more than stale words.
It's a feat for Farrell to be so convincing as an implacable gangster
(his best role since "In Bruges") and Rapace is sensational as an
equally bitter survivor who literally wears the scars of mental anguish
on her face. Howard is one of the few weak spots, once again taking a
sinister role and making it apprehensive. And although the climax
embodies the raging, explosive visualization of suspenseful retribution
that audiences crave (a contrasting culmination for the sake of
crowd-pleasing action), it's the contrived satisfaction "Dead Man Down"
needs to soften the blow of such a severe, serious series of
retaliations.
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