Hey folks, Valkor here. To say that Mel Gibson is a great actor
is an understatement; is he a genius? Maybe that's a bit much?
But put him in a role of any number of different characters and
he'll nail it. Ransom, The Road Warrior, Conspiracy Theory, The
Lethal Weapon series all great films, all blessed with the power
of Mel. And if you haven't seen Edge of Darkness – then you don't
know what you're missing because this has got to be one of his
best performances by far.
The Story
Edge of Darkness pits Mel in the role of Thomas Craven, a father who lost his daughter Emma Craven (Bojana Novakovic), in what was first thought to be a vindictive attack against him, turns out it was so much more than that. He'll track down clues, interrogate those close to his daughter – friends and associates, which will ultimately lead to a laboratory where she interned, called North Moor. What secrets held within this company could be so great that it not only caused the death of Emma, but three others whom she helped as well as cause a father to track down her killer(s) with extreme prejudice?
Edge of Darkness is a suspenseful, edge of your sit whodunit that locks you in from the get-go and doesn't let go until the climatic conclusion. This is the kind of film that starts out small and explodes into something bigger. And that's just the way I like it. I'm not a big fan of the pacing, which drags, but the film breaks that up nicely with some explosive moments that if you should happen to be nodding off, it will perk you right up! Even though Mel plays a cop, it's not a wacky cop that we're used to. Actually, he's quite reserved in this film. And just when you think he'll start to flip out - he doesn't. He maintains the films seriousness from start to finish. I also enjoyed the work of Ray Winstone as Jedburgh. Just whose side is this guy on anyway? He's mellow, very smooth, and having him on screen is definitely the film's brightest spot as he plays well against Mel's angst-ridden character.
Audio/Video
The film is presented in 16X9 2.4:1, in full 1080p Hi-def. Visually, the picture quality is crystal clear and very sharp; in some areas maybe a little too sharp? It's just a minor distraction, but very noticeable. Audio we have DTS-HD 5.1, Dolby digital French dub, and 5.1 Spanish (Castillian and Latin). Sounds are excellent with everything well balanced with just the right amount of bass and treble. Plus your speakers will explode at all the jolting moments. Trust me, you will jump.
The Extras:
First and foremost the Blu-Ray is a combo pack that contains the BD disc, a DVD of the film and a digital download so you're covered no matter the situation. Next up you have "Mel's Back", which takes a look at his return to acting and what he brings to the role of Thomas Craven.
"Revisiting Edge of Darkness Mini-Series" takes a very brief look at the BBC original mini-series the film is based on and what went into the production. It's cool to learn that the BBC had little to no input in the series. Definitely, check it out.
"Edge of Your Seat" takes a look at the action moments of the film.
You also have "Boston as a Character", "Director Profile:: Martin Campbell", "Making a Ghost Character Real", and more.
Edge of Darkness is definitely a film you don't wanna miss. And whether it's the Blu-Ray or the DVD, either way, you can't lose with this one; truly one of Mel's finest performance in a great film. And out of TOV 5 stars I give Edge of Darkness 5 stars perfect. (The combo pack, I highly recommend it!)
