NateWatchesCoolMovies Charles Bronson ain't got nothing on the level of grit seen in this revenge story. James Wan's Death Sentence is obviously inspired by the endless Death Wish films, which by their end had gone from classy exploitation (sounds like an oxymoron, but trust me, it's a thing) to lazy spoofs. This one goes back to the gritty roots, as well as udating the setting to our present time and laying on the gloomy, oppresively violent atmosphere so thick you'll want a shower and some cartoons after. Kevin Bacon is Nick Hume, a mild mannered advertisement executive living an idyllic life with his wife (Kelly Preston) and two young sons. All that changes one night when one of his boys is murdered in cold blood by some punk in the midst of a gas station robbery. The thug gets released on a technicality, and Nick gets shafted of both justice and peace of mine right at the start of his grieving process. Making one of those penultimate crossroad decisions that alter both his life and the fate of the film's narrative, he takes it upon himself to murder the perpetrator in a grisly display of vigilante justice. Only problem is, that ain't where it stops. The murderer has a brother who makes him seem like tweety bird, a terrifying urban scumbag named Joe Darley (Garrett Hedlund) who puts Nick and his family directly in the crosshairs of revenge. Nick is forced to become a one man army to protect his family and eradicate the evil that has entered hiss life once and for all, assisted by a wicked arsenal of nasty weapons provided by sleazeball arms dealer Bones Darley (John Goodman). If you look up 'scene stealer' in the dictionary you'll find a picture of Goodman's jolly visage grinning back at you. No matter who he plays, he's the life of the party, and his Bones is a fast talking gutter-snipe who jacks up every scene he's in with scuzzy dialogue. He plays an integral part in Nick's brutal and often disturbing quest for justice, a hard R urban bloodbath that pulls no punches and aims to shock. Bacon often plays morally questionable pricks, walking a fine line between upright heroes and corrupt nasties. In one character arc he gets to traverse that whole spectrum here, a regular guy who is pushed to criminal extremes until he's barely recognizable, even to himself. Intense stuff that heads down a dark alley of human unpleasantness.

Fella_shibby I first saw this film in 2008 on a DVD. I enjoyed it. The movie was very well made. Kevin Bacon gav an excellent performance as a father seeking revenge. The movie never slows down or gets boring. John Goodman also appears in a nice cameo role. Fans of Death Wish, The Brave One, Harry Brown, The Punisher, Law abiding citizen shud definitely check this out. I was most impressed by the camera work in the chase scenes. I was rooting for the lead character from the word go and Bacon did not let me down. Death sentence was a great thrill ride from the emotional opening credits to the chilling conclusion. At times it was brutal, gory n depressing. The music by Charlie Clouser (Saw series, The collection, Resident evil extinction) was very effective at establishing the proper mood. It has some hard hitting action, fantastic foot chase, some amazing gun fights n some unique death scenes. The soundtrack is very depressing and moody and helps set the tone of the film. Its directed by James Wan (Saw, Dead silence, Insidous, Conjuring, Fast n furious 7). Nice cinematography by John R. Leonetti (Conjuring, Insidious). It's based on the book (sequel to the original Deathwish) written by Brian Garfield, the author of Death wish.

SnoopyStyle Investment consultant Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) has the perfect life with wife Helen (Kelly Preston), and sons Lucas and Brendan. Brendan is killed during a gas station robbery and Nick identifies Joe Darley as the killer. The DA has only Nick's testimony and wants to do a deal. Nick decides to recant so Joe can walk away. Joe was being initiated into his older brother Billy (Garrett Hedlund)'s gang. Nick follows the gang back to their place and later kills Joe. Detective Wallis (Aisha Tyler) is investigating the cases. Bones Darley (John Goodman) is not happy with his son Billy's thuggish behavior.I would have more respect for this movie if it goes full Death Wish right from the start. Nick should do some research and start shooting this gang one by one. Instead, he's shocked that they come after him and his family when Joe gets killed. The action is almost comical at times. Neither Nick nor Billy are acting rationally. For a long time, Nick doesn't even have a gun and he doesn't move his family out of their house. Billy is also a really horrible shot or a cheapskate about saving bullets. Bones doesn't make much sense either although his philosophy is strangely compelling. It's also strange that Nick has to buy his guns illegally. There are generally a lot of logic questions in this movie.

Leofwine_draca Vigilante thrillers have been a long-term staple of cinema since Michael Winner's violent 1974 classic DEATH WISH set the template for what has come since. DEATH SENTENCE is another variant on long-established themes that runs through the – dare I say it? – clichés with slick efficiency. One of the biggest draws for me was the presence of Kevin Bacon, an under-appreciated actor who I've always enjoyed watching in whatever he does. I wasn't disappointed with his performance here as a normal family man who undergoes a metamorphosis into a ruthless killer; Bacon is an actor who always exudes believability and has a natural edginess that makes him perfect for roles like the one here.The film starts off on strong ground, leading us through to some scenes of unbelievable harshness and loss, and the pivotal turns from Bacon and a strong Kelly Preston as his wife keep us watching. Director James Wan is best known for directing the first SAW film, and this is a movie with much of the same darkness – although, thankfully, the outrageous torture and violence is kept in short supply here; in essence this is no more violent a film than a typical Steven Seagal movie like OUT FOR JUSTICE from the '90s.The camera-work is strong and the supporting cast fine – John Goodman's here in an extended cameo and about as far away from his 'cuddly big guy' persona as you can imagine; and Garrett Hedlund is an intensely hateful villain, yet he manages to be more than just a comic book caricature. There are some GREAT action scenes here, including a middle-of-the-film foot chase that takes place in streets, buildings and finally a parking lot. This is a fantastic moment of cinema and one of the best chases I've ever watched, and I'm going to make sure I sit through it again even if I don't watch the whole movie a second time.This leads me neatly into the film's biggest failing – the last third. After an important plot twist, the film suddenly changes and loses scope. The substance evaporates in favour of dark style and the inevitable shoot-em-up climax ensues where the last vestiges of reality are done away with in favour of predictable, clichéd and inane over-the-top killing. Even worse, almost all of the stylistic touches are nicked from the climax of Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER. Inevitably this ends up being inferior and just reminds us of that film's classic nature. The flawed nature of the last part of the movie means that this is an adequate vigilante outing.