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Victor (Colin Farrell) is gangster thug working for Alphonse (Terrence Howard). Somebody is trying play with Alphonse's head by sending him cryptic messages. Beatrice (Noomi Rapace) is Victor's neighbor. She has been scarred in the face by a drunk driver. When she filmed him killing somebody, she uses it to blackmail him to kill the man who caused her pain. Only she's not the only one with a secret pain.

The acting power in this film is quite impressive. This is directed by Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). He certainly has the skills to make a movie. At the start, it looked like just another crime action thriller. Then it added a darker brooding character study. It feels uneven. There are a couple things I find questionable, and the ending feels stuck on from another big action Michael Bay movie. Overall it's still a good effort. If only Niels could stick to one genre or the other, this odd mix would flow more easily.

Beautiful photography (amazing background blur, lighting & bokeh) and fantastic production design.

The only things letting down this film are the pace (slow at times), and the lack of character development.

Very good performances from Raapace and Farrell, good chemistry and I thought Raapace was very beautiful as Beatrice. The way the kids treated her was very disturbing and I felt an accurate indictment of modern society and its emphasis on the superficial. The main themes of 'Family' & 'Love' were very well portrayed. Overall I would give this film 7.5/10, a gritty, violent depiction of Urban Decay and the injustice of the supposedly equal legal system.

A criminal makes a major mistake, really major. This movie details the danger inherent in not double-checking your work.

Slow but not bad and culminates in a great action ending that's worth sticking around for and the film does not telegraph the ending. It was nice watching a movie when I haven't figured out the ending.

Performances were good, some almost great. Terence does a great job as the villain. Noomi Rapace is an unknown to me but she is a credible actress. Farrell and Rapace have good on screen chemistry.

All in all a more interesting film than I expected but it's better as a rental than theatrical release.

The title make sense if you stick around for the conclusion.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Victor (Colin Farrell) is a Hungarian immigrant, who arrived in the US hoping to raise a family and hold down an honest job. But these simple dreams were shattered when crime lord Alphonse (Terrence Howard) and his goons took over the apartment block he was living in, and his family were killed. He has now infiltrated Alphonse's gang, and is systematically annihilating every one of them until he reaches the main man himself. But Victor crosses paths with Beatrice (Noomi Rapace) a beautiful woman whose life has been ruined after she was left with a hideous facial scar by a drunk driver, who tries to blackmail him in to helping her get her own revenge.

It may have reached the stage now where audiences are basically forced in to being a little less demanding and must accept if a plot isn't entirely original or has been done before, as long as it's maybe told in a different sort of way or explored from different angles. Which seems to be the case in hand with this offering from the director of the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. As multi-layered as a BLT sandwich, Dead Man Down compounds the action with a cacophony of sub- plots and plot angles that means it never plays out like a traditional revenge thriller, even if the basic plot line is exactly the same.

Shot in a drained background colour, it keeps the feel of a bleak, dreary style that feels like the norm these days. Playing a foreign character whose English isn't so good, Farrell also has to carry the film without much dialogue, but has developed a natural presence by now that gives him enough gravitas to do so. The story and the performances keep you hooked, even if at times they all feel a bit over-whelming and you struggle to take it all in.

While not quite the sum of it's parts that it could have been, Dead Man Down is still a very impressive film, in both a technical and practical sense, that is one of the finer points of Farrell's recent resume. ***

Greetings again from the darkness. On the surface, this looks like just another early season crime thriller. From that perspective, it works well enough. However, there are some elements that add complexity and interest, and set this one above the usual. It's directed by Niels Arden Oplev who was responsible for the original (and very cool) Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This looks to be his first English language feature and he re-teams with the exciting and talented Noomi Rapace.

The film begins with a body in the freezer, and crime boss Alphonse (Terrence Howard) and his crew solving the mystery of who killed his friend and associate. Someone has been tormenting Alphonse with little clues and he falls right into the trap of jumping to conclusions. One member of his crew is Victor (Colin Farrell). We slowly learn more about Victor thanks to an awkward and slow connection between he and his neighbor Beatrice (Ms. Rapace). Their initial acknowledgment of each other is an exchange of waves between balconies. It's an effective visual.

The movie bounces between crime thriller and romantic/love story. The added fun of secret missions from both Victor and Beatrice provide the twist this one needs. Actually there are 4-5 exceptional scenes in the movie which make up for the often plodding pace ... not typically a good thing for a thriller. The pieces are greater than the whole, but that doesn't mean it's not an interesting watch.

In addition to Farrell, Rapace and Howard, we get some really enjoyable support work from Dominic Cooper, Isabelle Huppert and F Murray Abraham. Ms. Huppert in particular adds a touch of class and humor, and her character could have easily been expanded ... same for Mr. Abraham. Cooper plays an idealistic, but not so observant buddy to Victor and loyal crew member of Howard.

This one reminds at times of a couple of Mel Gibson revenge flicks: Payback and Edge of Darkness. What really helps here is the strength of the cast and unusual scars of Victor and Beatrice. A slightly tighter script and improved pacing would have jumped this one a level or two.

Dead Man Down is actually not a good thriller, but it is a great thriller. Some things may not be entirely believable, but then again we are often told to suspend our disbelief in these kind of movies, which I did. This thriller is a slow-burn thriller that focuses less on the action, but more on the characters and the retribution.

Oplev's film has a distinctive European feel to it and that is how I like my thrillers. But this film is about a man named Victor who is the right-hand man of a crime lord named Alphonse and has a very mysterious past. But he is seduced by a car crash victim named Beatrice, who is a mysterious woman herself. But together, they plot to bring Alphonse to justice.

For a film such as this, it has a pretty talented cast. Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace share such intimate chemistry with each other. It's a shame Farrell is not a high box-office draw these days because he got so much talent. Terrence Howard does a very good job, and it's nice to see him shine in a villainous role for once. There is a nice cameo by F. Murray Abraham as well and I like it because we definitely don't see much of him anymore.

Overall, Dead Man Down is much better than what people are making it out to be. It's a slow-burn thriller, not an action shoot-em-up as apparently people were expecting. There are going to be logic issues, but I'm very good at suspending my disbelief, because I'm watching a fictional movie. But this is a well-acted thriller and one of the better films of 2013. I rate this film 9/10.

It is really hard for me to rate this film because it is a mix of great and horrid bits. Colin Farrell's quiet yet intense act is matched by Naomi Rapace's hysterical overacting, the rather complex plot is messed up by cliché scenes and in the end, the moral seems to be that all plans that you care about are a lot easier to accomplish if there are no friends and romantic interests.

The thing with the film is that it has a lot going for it: great cast, good acting most of the time, a compelling story with just the right amount of details to make the plot a lot better than most Hollywood productions. Somewhere along the way it turns sour, the feeling someone gets when expecting to have fun at a party, only to have it all soiled by the significant's other discomfort. In the end the revenge feels failed, the romance doomed, the second chance just that: chance.

Dead Man Down is a surprise and an exceptionally rewarding viewing experience. This is an intelligent thriller packed with action that takes its time to unfold and finally wanders off into the sunset leaving the viewer invigorated and satisfied, but ready for another bout.

Victor (Colin Farrell) is a player in in gangland kingpin Alphonse's (Terrence Howard) empire and, though he gives the appearance of being Alphonse's right-hand man, his intentions towards the crime lord are decidedly darker. Meanwhile, the girl in the apartment opposite, Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), watches him dispatch an adversary and blackmails him into dishing out a generous serving of retribution that she herself is unable (or unwilling) to administer.

Neils Arden Oplev (the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and currently shooting Stephen King's Under the Dome) peels back layer after layer to reveal ever-rawer characters and emotions in Dead Man Down. It isn't just about unfolding the story, though he does so beautifully, it is more about filling out the characters carefully so that we understand what makes them tick. No, what makes them angry.

There are some severely damaged characters on display here but their emotions, their actions, come across as not just understandable but entirely justified. Forget petty crooks with violent whims, Victor and Beatrice have given serious thought to their revenge but that doesn't make them shallow or irredeemable.

While Victor bubbles along in a coldly, organized manner, Beatrice rages under her skin. On the surface she is the cool cat but the confusion, the maelstrom of rage, bitterness and loss, swirls within her so that she is potentially dangerous to herself and Victor. It is tempting to use the old cliché of both Farrell and Rapace 'never being better' but it isn't true in her case; she is frequently this good, even if the films don't always match her talent. In Farrell's case, he has so many under-performing films (London Boulevard, Tigerland) and the odd turkey (Total Recall) on his CV that it is easy to forget that he is generally on very fine form. Don't believe me? Look again at Phone Booth, In Bruges…

Howard has a reputation in the industry of being 'difficult' (note the recasting of Colonel Rhodes in the Iron Man sequels) but his body of work is extraordinary and the intensity of his performance in Dead Man Down makes it blindingly obvious why he's a good bet on screen. There's no Nicolas Cage-type ranting, just a considered, quiet violence to his Alphonse.

Dominic Cooper slips along in Dead Man Down, not at all unremarkable, but just another fine actor and a superbly cast film. As Darcy, another of Alphonse's mob and friend of the traitorous Victor, he comes across as a good(ish) guy who's unfortunate to be caught up in entirely the wrong job in the wrong place at the wrong time. He doesn't steal scenes here but he fills them out, he completes them, knowing his place in the hierarchy of the mob and his billing in the film.

Oplev has crafted a very fine thriller indeed. The drama excites, the explosions scorch the skin but what makes Dead Man Down stand above so many others in the genre (I'm talking to you, Welcome to the Punch) is not the ramped up action but the stillness and the time and care he takes over his characters and the setting of the atmosphere. He allows us time to enjoy the clinking of ice-cubes in glasses as Victor and Beatrice consider each other and, strangely for a director of an action flick, allows the dialogue to do the talking rather than the gunshots and the car chases.

Dead Man Down is at times gentle but always thrilling and the pauses in the action don't ever detract from the pace. Conversely, they make it more intense and a film that truly deserves to register at the box office in spite of the big-buck, megastar vehicles of Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness. I fear it will be another 'underperforming' film on Farrell's CV, but don't for a minute confuse that with being a flop. The dead man might be down but he definitely isn't out.

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A man who has planned a extensive revenge plan finds himself running out of time and his preparation maybe foiled. Things are further complicated when his masquerade could be blown by a blackmailing woman who wants him to kill for her.

The characters are well written by J.H. Wyman, the film revolves around the mob but on a smaller scale which gives an added realism to the twist and turns of the events. It's well shot by Niels Arden Oplev, the city seeps atmosphere it has that on location feel, the lighting is as shadowy as some of the characters.

Colin Farrell is excellent as the father out for retribution, however, it works on a subtler level as he infiltrates the gang and this is further complicated as he is blackmailed to take another job. It's not just another man out for vengeance you really feel for the man. Noomi Rapace plays Beatrice a woman out for revenge after her face was left disfigured, Rapace and Farrell have good chemistry and some strong emotional scenes. Both Dominic Cooper and Terrence Howard are on impressive form. Armand Assante and F. Murray Abraham cameo and leave an impression in their key roles.

Wyman delivers a multi layered engaging story with a few twists (one of which is genuinely surprising), this coupled with Oplev's eye for detail and exploit ensures an above average thriller. However, the climatic showdown is unnecessary and feels thrown in to appease action fans, however, the closing brings it back down to earth. That said, the stunts and the few action scenes littered throughout are finely executed.

Like both Snitch (2013) and The Town (2010) which appear to have been sold as actions are actually entertaining quality driven character thrillers - only Oplev's offering has debatably a more intricate story.

It doesn't reinvent the wheel but Dead Man Down is an underrated multifaceted revenge thriller - one of those surprising overlooked little gems.

There is always a big gamble with revenge flicks : these stories have been told so many times…it takes more than a few big names to make them memorable. Characters, dialogue, tension, subplots, impressive kills...If used properly, these elements will differentiate any formulaic revenge flick from the lot. While Dead Man Down is not a terrible movie, it's just another title that falls in the loop of quickly-released and just-as-quickly-forgotten anonymous revenge flicks.

The storyline makes for a synopsis a thousand times more interesting than the actual product resulting from its lazy execution. We've got two parallel quests for revenge, and neither of them is ever able to capture any sense of depth or avoid clichés, thanks to typical sequences of Farrell watching 8mm tapes of an afternoon in the park with the wife and daughter, where they just laugh and do every possible thing to look like the perfect little family. The other quest for revenge, which involves Noomi Rapace's character, stays on the shelf for nearly the entire runtime, which makes it hard for the average and not overly sensitive viewer to become emotionally involved (or to simply give a rat's ass about it) at any point.

The very few action sequences are poorly shot. There is not one moment where Colin Farrell is believable as a Hungarian mobster, nor is Noomi Rapace as a French woman that is both physically and emotionally scarred, thanks to the silly accents that both actors clumsily mimic. And while the acting may be Dead Man Down's strongest point (that says a lot), you can feel the cast is trying hard to bring some life to these frustratingly empty characters, especially Terrence Howard.

It is a very typical story, and for it to become something special, its basics had to be strong. And it is not the case. Instead of working on its characters, Dead Man Down prioritizes clichéd rubbish visual elements to add some sort of an intrigue feel that never materializes. From the picture puzzle to the bars on the "f"s, the ensemble feels like it was written to feel way more complex than it actually is.

Visually, Dead Man Down is equal to its script : we've seen this a thousand times already. A greyish tone to give it some sort of gritty edge, bland directing lacking anything fancy that is never able to generate any kind of dramatic tension whatsoever. It's all tame. Not awful, just awfully tame.

This will be on the shelves of video stores for a month, and next times you will see a copy of Dead Man Down, it will be in 5 years, in the five-dollar movie bin at Wal-Mart, lost under a pile of similarly forgettable products.

I'll admit; this isn't my typical kind of film. I only went because the writer is Joel Wyman. I am a huge fan of FRINGE, a science fiction/family drama for which he served as show-runner, and as a writer. I was pleasantly surprised: it's not too shabby. The film uses an intricate little plot about Farrell's character's motivations, and how he was going to exact his revenge..

Wyman seems to go for common themes in his work - love, building something, family, and connections. Although there is an underlying theme about love, the film does not skip out on the action: This is a story about revenge in the name of love, and there are several scenes in which people die in the most terrible ways imaginable. Right at the start even, when our characters get involved in a little "game."

Maybe I am a huge softie, but when we first meet Victor and Beatrice, who had been staring at each other across from their respective apartments, I felt very emotional about a specific gesture in the scene. There's a bit of a slow buildup, but that is suddenly dashed when we find out why Beatrice has really been watching Victor. Turns out she is need of a bit of revenge, and she has some proof of something that could get Victor into a lot of trouble. As the plot progresses, these two seem to develop genuine feelings for one another. Victor lost something precious to him, and both could understand the need to make those responsible for their pain, pay.

My chief beefs with the film stem around a few things.

First, Farrell... well, I hope he deliberately looked like he was staring into the distance all the time. I guess he had that thousand- yard-stare because of his family and his hopes to avenge them at all costs, but Farrell left me flat. Noomi Rapace was OK, but I liked her much better in Prometheus. I found her Beatrice mostly annoying, although her back-story was heartfelt, and I understood how she felt. In my opinion, Terrence Howard is the winner here; his Alphonse, a truly disgusting sociopath.

Second, the love part was a hard sell for me because of the terms in which Victor and Beatrice become involved. But, then again, they did share a deep hurt, so they seemed to understand one another. Not the best love story ever, but good enough for a film.

Like many films, this one uses an object to convey some kind of meaning. I won't spoil it here, but I liked its use. There is also some nice use of cinematography.

It was fun and I felt my money was well spent.

The greatest part of watching Dead Man Down was hands down the performances, Noomi Repace is absolutely a spell binding actress with unbelievable capabilities as an actress, an it shows in this film. Colin Farrell turns in a likable performance as Victor however, one must wonder if most of his performance was left on the cutting room floor, as with the rest of the film. While the film gains momentum within the first 5 minutes, it then is bogged down with a poorly executed shootout that left you straining your eyes and your brain to make it become sensible but, it never does. In fact, the film as a whole is quite a character driven piece that left the audience wanting to know the resolutions more clearly instead of wondering in convoluted plot twists that become bothersome due to the fact that it becomes a shoot 'em up action film in the third act. Normally, that would be the way to end this type of film if there wasn't so much character development. The film starts to have the milk or the cookies dilemma. On one hand, you have these fantastic performances around the board, each scene giving more and more insight into each character's psyche and then you have these epic scenes of action violence. Unfortunately, the film needed to be told as one or the other. Is it supposed to be clever? Is it supposed to be an action film? Those are some of the questions you'll be asking yourself. Overall, It felt as if the film was confused as to what it wanted to be. At the end of the day, Dead Man Down is a two star movie with 4 star performances. The end product is something that is better left as a rental but definitely worth a one time watch.

Ignore the critics if you favour character development over gripping your seat throughout a whole film. The relationships of the main characters need to develop for the story to have credibility and to keep the pace faster wouldn't allow that. Critics are perhaps jaded from watching too many movies if they have the need for a beat to be evidently maintained. The plot requires tension to exist because it involves the subterfuge of trust. There is tension throughout the film which I felt even in the 'lighter' scenes not directly related to the plot due to good acting which allows us to see that the existence and gravity of the plot are always present in the minds of those involved. I felt the director didn't drop the ball at the end but just fumbled it slightly otherwise I'd have given the film a higher score.

"Dead Man Down" is a surprisingly well crafted, character-driven thriller with a refreshingly unpredictable plot. However, to even summarize this film is to spoil it; going into it knowing as little as possible will, I imagine, make for a much more fruitful viewer experience. Therefore, I will keep my review short and unspecific.

The film stars the continuously underrated Colin Farrell and the international up-and-comer Noomi Rapace (2009's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "Prometheus"). "Dead Man Down" may seem like a high stakes crime thriller on the surface, but at its core is a character-driven drama about two outcasts of the world with a mutual driving force of self-destruction.

While some films in the same genre are akin to chugging cheap beer, "Dead Man Down" is like sipping on good wine. The film is tightly paced, but takes its time revealing key details, making for a much more savory experience. While not without its problems (a climax that comes a little too quickly and conveniently), overall you'll enjoy the journey these characters take and have a lot of fun guessing what will happen next along the way.

DEAD MAN DOWN's basic premise is intriguing; unfortunately, the film's creators didn't do all that they could have done with it. It would have so much better if Victor (Farrell) had found a more unexpected and innovative way to play the Jamaicans and the Albanians off against each other. Along with said premise, the fine performances by Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper, and many of the supporting cast help to redeem this film, as does the fine cinematography--some really good shots of NYC. The eclectic international soundtrack also adds something.

There are many stretches and inconsistencies here; e.g., Beatrice's scars aren't all that horrible, and she's still quite attractive, so why is she labeled a "monster"? Though it might have killed the sex appeal, it would have been interesting if she had been horribly mangled in the auto accident, which would still not hinder the relationship she winds up sharing with Victor. {After all, they are two "wounded" people.} The way they meet via Beatrice's initial blackmail is also a little hard to buy.

DEAD MAN DOWN should appeal decently enough to those just wanting a thriller. There are some good twists, chases, and shoot-'em-ups, but it doesn't have anywhere near the depth and suspense it might have had. While I have no big regrets about sitting through its two hours, I'm still a little disappointed.

Just awful. From the first scene it was just painfully bad. Trite. Slow. Stupid plot twists. Clunky. Most of the time I sat there thinking Really? I feel like I've seen most of this crap before in a billion other American gangster films. Shoot out at the drug dealer's? Check. Dead guy in a freezer? Check. Mysterious dame with a secret? Check.

And as cheesy as some of those films can be at least they didn't ring as false as this film. This film felt so fake. It was just ugh! While they are good actors who delivered solid performances in other films, I simply cannot buy Colin Farrell and Dominic Cooper as American thugs. Sorry. No. As for the romance well let's just say Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace should be checked for termites.

And as for the appearance of legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert all I can say WTF. She is great but I kept wondering what she was doing here. Is she short on money or something?

Don't bother. Save your money. Maybe if they offer you free tickets.

I honestly had to sit in contemplative amazement for few minutes after watching this film just to digest how well it was done. Every scene delivered a certain level of excellence that was surpassed by the next simply by building levels of uncertainty while carrying the story forward with almost an anticipated reluctance of sorts. Of the many thousands of action movies I've seen in the last 30 years, I would put this in the top 5. Astonishing directing, set design, acting, and a brooding atmosphere that works, mixed with a romantic/revenge tale of crossed messages born of emotional extremes in a multi-context of meanings.

It's a movie that never loses sight of what it originally intends, nor does it pander to taste or pretend to be better than it is. The script is solid and seamless. There are some shortcomings as to continuity and perspective of a linear timeline, but there is SO much emotion in even the smallest scenes as to make this almost trivial. I believe this is a masterpiece of directing overall that goes far beyond the mediocre nature of even the best of Hollywood's action films. It has a passionate heart with a brutal honesty that involves vulnerability conflicting with its own desire for the desolation of complete resolve regardless of circumstance.

When you see a movie of this quality, it is certainly difficult to put another one in the DVD player. Just like graduating high school makes it impossible to want to repeat the 11th grade.

A very good group of actors. Noomi and Colin do very well presenting their characters even with the predictable ending. Too bad Armand Assante and F. Murray Abraham did not have more input as they always are good story tellers. It was worth the watch, especially considering the endless reels of crap ot there.

'Dead Man Down' is yet another story about a brooding hero who infiltrates a criminal gang in order to avenge a tragic wrong. This tired thriller observes the aggrieved Victor journeying through the standard road-map of a revenge odyssey - and since he's a former special forces marksman, engineer and electronics geek, he's ideally prepared for his holy war against the hoodlums. The mission becomes more complicated when his scarred neighbor Beatrice blackmails him to kill the drunken driver who destroyed her looks in an accident - but nobody will be much surprised when Victor and Beatrice begin exchanging come-hither glances as they tramp towards the climactic shoot-out mandated for gangster burlesque.

Despite the regulation action sequences at the beginning, middle and end, none of the film's juvenile stunts, screeching tires or sadistic violence lend it any vitality. Colin Farrell pastes a blank stare upon Victor's face to disguise his mortification at being associated with such nonsense, while Noomi Rapace adopts the camouflage of melodrama. Isabelle Huppert as Beatrice's mother treats the shabby material with the contempt it deserves, while 'Dragon Tattoo' director Oplev must have wished he'd been working from a screenplay that was even halfway original.