A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: The Brave One

Date Viewed: 9/16/07

Details:

Jodie Foster

Terrence Howard

Naveen Andrews

Mary Steenburgen

Director: Neil Jordan

Score: +

The Review: Vigilante vengeance, fall-07 part-2. Good though.

The fiancée (Andrews) of a popular radio essayist and commentator (Foster) is killed as they run afoul of apparently random violence in New York's Central Park. Upon her recovery and asymptotic return to a functional (or at least recognizable) individual, she accidentally becomes an avenging angel, then begins to immerse herself in the role. A fascinating relationship emerges between investigating detective (Howard) and avenger.

It's curious that two topically quite similar films were released within a few weeks of one another, and even more curious how different they are -- in plotting, in characterization, in tone, in morality. Death Sentence was released first, followed by The Brave One. In both cases, the protagonist explicitly decides not to pursue the murderer through the legal system; in both cases, they arm themselves and become consumed by a different personality and actions clear not consistent with their prior selves. But Brave One is clearly the superior film: even with comparable intensity, it is more watchable, more nuanced, with better casting and acting -- even if you come to believe it may be more ethically compromised. The intensity in Death Sentence is a draining litany of war; that in Brave One more suspense of plot. One prominent difference is simply that one protagonist is male, the other female -- even in this day and age, this fact strongly colors expectation and patterns of behavior.

Something curious -- is it annoying or merely realistic? -- that comes through is how easy the first kill turns out to be. Whether planned, accidental, or a bit of both, these movies give the impression that dropping into vigilante stance is almost inevitable. The character response in both cases is simultaneously intense and unsurprising, but we are mere voyeurs totally unfamiliar with these feelings.

(22-Sep-07)

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