Edge of Darkness

This film is a triple-threat combination that was so close to working for me. Martin Campbell has directed the two best (which obviously also includes the all time best) James Bond movies, and has shown himself to be a great action director who knows how to rise above the genre. Mel Gibson is a fine actor who is right at home in the rising-above-the-genre action movie. And Ray Winstone stood out in "The Departed" as someone you don't want to mess with, and here in "Edge of Darkness" he gives a similar performance, and gets more screen time to show his ability. Now the film worked better than most, it did rise above the genre for the most part. Yet there were still just enough scenes and moments to jolt me out of the experience. Unfortunately the way the film ended was one of it's weaknesses. Perhaps because of Winstone's presence I found myself comparing this film to "The Departed" quite a bit. This may be unfair, yet it a film sets itself apart as a benchmark, then shouldn't we compare other films to it? In the better film there are surprise twists, there are violent outbursts, there is a tragic hero. Those elements all exist here in "Edge of Darkness", yet Campbell isn't able to bring them together with the same mastery of his craft. The violence itself doesn't have impact, it should be the threat of violence that is effective. Plot twist aren't interesting in and of themselves, it's how they affect the characters. And a tragic hero is only as good as the actor's ability to make you feel compassion for him. When revenge is the only motivation, we feel a shallow connection to what occurs onscreen. "Edge of Darkness" is one of those good movies that really make you appreciate the great ones.