Don’t worry – There are no spoilers ahead, read on, watch the trailer, then decide for yourself if you’ll be seeing Dead Man Down in theaters this March.
Dead Man Down follows Victor (Colin Farrell), right hand man to one of New York’s biggest crime lords, Alphonse Hoyt (Terrence Howard). Hoyt is being followed by an unknown threat who is getting too close for comfort. Victor and fellow henchman, Darcy (Dominic Cooper), work to uncover who is behind the vengeful threats. At the same time, Victor is seduced and subsequently blackmailed by his mysterious neighbor, Beatrice (Noomi Rapace) who hatches a revenge plot of her own. As you might imagine, Victor’s two worlds manage to collide in the most epic of ways. Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl With the Dragon Tattooo, Swedish version) directs the revenge centered neo-noir crime thriller.
Noomi Rapace and Colin Farrell in one of their many tense, but nearly silent, scenesAfter the killer, shoot-em-up opening scene, the film was slow to get going. Additionally, there were a few instances where dialogue was painfully awkward, or painfully absent, but overall the movie was thoroughly entertaining. The concept was completely unrealistic, but undeniably original – which is a rarity these days. In spite of the slow burn, Dead Man Down was a compelling, suspense filled film and you won’t be disappointed leaving the theater.
If nothing else, it was nice to see Colin Farrell’s face on the big screen. Farrell’s character Victor hardly spoke at all, but his smoldering good looks did all the talking he needed.
Dominic Cooper and his goateeDespite Farrell’s handsome exterior, Noomi Rapace still somehow still managed to steal the show. Her performance as the physically and emotionally damaged Beatrice was intriguing, captivating, and very well done. Oplev clearly handpicked Rapace, the as seen from their history with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, the two have an undeniable director-actor chemistry that makes movies great. As can be expected Terrence Howard did a wonderful job convincing us he was a crime lord and force to be reckoned with. Additionally, it was a fun and interesting point of view to see a once confident crime lord crumble and crack as his mysterious stalker gains the upper hand. Dominic Cooper, on the other hand, took some getting used to. Truth be told, I was foolishly expecting Sky from Mamma Mia! Instead Cooper’s first scene shows him as a super skinny, potentially drug addled young father, wearing suspenders with jeans and a greasy wifebeater. On top of that, there was a gnarly goatee all up on his face. After my initial shock, I grew to appreciate Cooper’s character for what he was and almost, almost grew to like the goatee. Beatrice’s nearly deaf mother, played by Isabelle Huppert, was by far my favorite character and a much welcomed comic relief.
I wouldn’t suggest Dead Man Down on date night, but I would suggest it if you’re looking for a suspense thriller to sufficiently entertain you for a few hours. Ok, so maybe its the perfect date night movie depending on what you’re in to…
Dead Man Down premieres worldwide March 8th.
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