| Site locale: United States |
|
||||
|
||||||
|
Best Blu-ray Deals  
|
Best Blu-ray Deals, See All the Deals » |
Top deals |
Price drops
|
 $4.99 |  $7.96 |  $14.99 |  $13.99 |  $34.99 |  $7.99 |  $4.99 |  $4.99 |  $15.47 |  $14.99 |  $8.99 |  $21.99 |  $33.99 |  $7.99 |  $21.99 |  $14.99 |  $4.99 |  $19.99 |  $21.99 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lawless2012 | 115 min | R | 2.39:1
It’s difficult to recommend “Lawless” to the average moviegoer. It’s a film that contains scenes of pure evil, with lacerating violence to back up its arguments, making it extremely troubling for those with sensitivity to screen brutality. Thankfully, there’s a consistently impressive effort inside its grim ambiance, embellishing its Depression-era setting just enough to activate splendidly as an offering of pulp cinema, keeping viewers glued to dramatic developments and widescreen menace. It’s a rough feature, yet this intensity keeps the material on task. Instead of lounging around as an evocative slice of backwoods history, “Lawless” stands up straight as a revenge picture, with flawed heroes and a villain of unparalleled sliminess. 
During the Depression and Prohibition, residents of Franklin County, Virginia turned to bootlegging to make a living, with hundreds of backyard distilleries pumping out gallons of moonshine for the thankful masses. A dangerous business, brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke), and Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) maintain a tight control on the county, keeping peace with law enforcement officials who know all too well they’re outmanned and outgunned. Sent in from Chicago, Special Agent Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) has arrived to sort out any illegal activity, targeting the Bondurant boys, with emphasis in Forrest and his stoic manner, looking to break the supply chain and dry out the community. When bold acts of violence are carried out on the brothers, vicious escalation ensues, while Jack works to endear himself to gangster Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman) and potential girlfriend Bertha (Mia Wasikowska), a member of the Mennonites, who finds the youngest Bondurant’s displays of wealth and charm enticing. Having created the Australian western “The Proposition” in 2005, screenwriter Nick Cave and director John Hillcoat reunite for “Lawless,” an adaptation of Matt Bondurant’s novel concerning the illegal activities consuming the daily business of his grandfather and granduncles. Rooted in a Deep South attitude and situated in remote locations, the story is traditional bootlegger tale of money and power wrestled over by cops and crooks. However, fans of the “The Proposition” understand that Hillcoat isn’t interested in a neatly arranged collision of unsavory demands, instead building a greasy, gory journey for Jack, the naive Bondurant brother who develops into man over the course of the film, trying to live up to Forrest’s reputation as a no-nonsense governor of the community, keeping law on his own terms. Although Hillcoat doesn’t appear to have much budgetary muscle to flex, his visual command is impressive, bringing out the flavors of the era and the mystery of the land superbly, creating a plausibly remote battleground for the participants, keeping both sides unsure of future activity, while reinforcing the promise of retaliation with the burden of witnesses. Even the cops seem terrified of the residents, showing reluctance when called into duty. 
Character design also plays a major part in “Lawless,” with Pearce an exceptionally creepy heavy. Suffering from OCD issues that have removed his eyebrows and parted his oily hair so severely, one could imagine Moses standing on his forehead, Rakes is a devilish, powermad figure in tight gloves, prowling around the film in a chilling manner. Pearce’s performance is beautifully committed, and Rakes’s pained look of bondage sums up “Lawless,” quite well, with itchy, yellowed details popping off every actor in the piece, with the exception of Jessica Chastain, here as a Chicago dancer hoping to make a living in “the wettest county in the world,” soon becoming Forrest’s lover. Her porcelain appearance and cleanliness act as a screen oasis Hillcoat knows how to exploit. In key roles, LaBeouf is dutifully impassioned as Jack, wisely underplaying the character’s impulsive behavior, while Hardy is marvelous as the eldest Bondurant, communicating in grunts while unleashing hell from the pockets of his sweater. His work is riveting. 
Hillcoat and Cave appreciate their violent extremes, and “Lawless” doesn’t blanch at the sight of blood, staging shootings, a throat-slitting, testicle removal, and countless beatings, making sure the audience computes the gravity of Rakes’s obsession and the titular chaos of the land. It’s not a movie for the faint of heart, though the aggression does carry a purpose to define the extremity of actions in this story, keeping the narrative full of surprises and displays of resiliency that fascinate. It’s a rowdy feature, but one that’s masterfully crafted and atmospheric, isolating a time and place with a distinct cinematic spin. Starring: Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Shia LaBeouf Director: John Hillcoat » See full cast & crew |
 
Trending Blu-ray Movies
Trending in Theaters
Most Popular Blu-ray Movie Deals
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This web site is not affiliated with the Blu-ray Disc Association. All trademarks are the property of the respective trademark owners. © 2002-2013 Blu-ray.com. All rights reserved. Mobile | Registration problems | Business/Advertising Inquiries | Privacy Policy | Legal Notices |
