There is something not quite right with Edge of Darkness, which is really hard to put your finger on. Once you find out its backstory and you become aware that it is in fact a remake of a 1985 BAFTA award-winning BBC mini-series, it all suddenly becomes clear. Take a well-plotted story with well-examined characters, who have been allowed to develop over 6 hrs and squash them into a 116 minute American film and the end result is a very average political thriller.
This new imagining of Edge of Darkness relocates the action from Yorkshire to Massachusetts. Mel Gibson, returning to the screen after 7 years, plays homicide detective, Thomas Craven, who is flung into a political conspiracy when his only child, 24-year old Emma (Bojana Novakovic), is murdered on his doorstep. His solo investigation leads him to shady characters like government operative, Darius Jedburgh (Ray Winstone) and corporate head, Jack Bennett (Danny Huston). Can he unravel the mystery before he becomes the next victim?
Mel Gibson, one of the few people in Hollywood who seems to age, looks right as the wizened, gruff policeman. But as Thomas Craven, he is back in conspiracy Mel mode - a role we have seen before and isn’t much of a stretch. It is a character so thinly drawn that he is hard to care for.
Director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale), who was at the helm of the original TV production, leaves too many gaps and inconsistencies in the updated film. Why no-one inspects Emma’s belongings until days after she is buried, or the instant death of anyone who talks to Craven are annoying plot necessities to keep the story together. The lack of time to explore means all the characters fit nicely into stereotypes; Craven is the rogue cop, Emma the martyr, Jack Bennett the villain and Darius Jedburgh the hitman with a conscience.
Go to Trespass to read the full review
