Now, when I saw that this film was a production of WWE Studios, I feared for the worst. Some things just don’t seem like a good fit, and the pro wrestling circus mixing with major motion pictures seems like one of those combinations. Just my opinion. Anyway, much to my delight, “Dead Man Down” is a complete success! My fears were misplaced and this film has me waiting to see what is next from this studio.
“Dead Man Down” stars Colin Ferrell, Noomi Rapace, and Terence Howard. Right from the start, this film was not what I had thought it would be. I thought this was an action film. Turns out, it is much more of a drama with some action thrown in at the end. The story is actually intriguing, and it draws you in easily. The acting of Noomi Rapace and her character’s story really elevates the film into another realm of quality. The end result of this combination of some fine acting and great storytelling was a film that will likely be completely overlooked by many. I urge anybody that hasn’t seen it yet to give “Dead Man Down” and fair shake and just watch the 1st 30 minutes.
At first, I thought Colin Ferrell’s performance was a little stiff. When I realized that was actually part of the story, it bothered me less, and intrigued me more. I thought I figured the story of his character right away and I did. However, the film could have ended there and I would not have thought the film was much of anything. However, then there was the complexity of his neighbor (played by Rapace) and her story and how it gets entangled with Ferrell’s character. THIS is what made the film so much more than what it could have been. It wasn’t a curve ball so much as it was a really well-thought out – and might I say European-styled – plot that was executed very well.
A lot of crime stories ultimately boil down to a pissing contest between the good criminal (or the cop) and the bad criminal. It’s a classic trap to fall into, and I fault no one. Heck, I used to really enjoy those films, but that was when I was much younger. Today though, my tastes have matured and I crave more from a story. “Dead Man Down” delivered in this way and I could not have been more led astray by the trailer. To sum it up nicely would be to say that this film had a story and wasn’t just flash/bang/the end.
It wasn’t an Oscar-quality drama, but it had a lot more meat than most action films. So, if you’re in the mood for something bigger than most shlock-fests that are rolled out of Hollywood these days, “Dead Man Down” might actually deliver the goods for you. That’s my feeling on it anyway.
…and this it for this edition of THE REEL VOICE
Related articles
- Noomi Rapace Highlighted In Dead Man Down Featurette (shockya.com)
- Interview: Colin Farrell Talks Dead Man Down (shockya.com)
- Get a Glimpse Into Dead Man Down in New Featurette (shockya.com)
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