Review of Dead Man Down (2013) by Trypanophobia — 17 Jan 2022

Dead Man Down is more alive than you could possibly imagine.

Out of all the films I had the privilege of viewing in 2013, Dead Man Down would have to be my all favorite of 2013. Every sentence is perfectly crafted and fits in beautifully with the movie; the acting is so realistic, you can almost reach out and literally touch the characters; and the storyline is so convincingly outstanding you cannot help but stare transfixed for the entirety of this masterpiece.

What is quite fascinating with the feature is the premise; the film begins several months into the story, and over the course of the first twenty five minutes, we, the audience, play catch-up, a technique which fabulously works.

The beginning lines by Dominic Cooper help pave the way for this tale of retribution, revenge and romance. Victor (Colin Farrell) is a man who works for renown crime boss Alphonse (Terrence Howard), however, at the same time, he has his own agenda, which is quickly revealed. His life takes an unforeseen turn when he is introduced to Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), a young woman, with half her face corrupted by scars. Despite this, Ms. Rapace looks as gorgeous as ever, and the accent she uses, alongside her use of facial expression, is terrifically performed.

Forcing Victor into a corner, she intends to use him as a tool for vengeance, in order to punish the man whose car tore apart her life. During the film, Gregor (F. Murray Abraham), with a fantastic accent, and Beatrice's mother (Isabelle Huppert) help the two leading characters reconcile the lives they have in order to efficaciously move on. At the same time however, Alphonse is on the prowl, and like a box of matches, the fiery performance by Mr. Howard is extraordinary in the scenes he shares with Mr. Farrell.

The use of emotion, achieved through the exploration of characters and their backgrounds, make these individuals so exceptionally likable, and even the villains, you will simply love to hate. Focusing more on the building of tension rather than continued action sequences, a technique established through not just the atmosphere, but the environment itself, Dead Man Down moves at an intelligently steady gait until the final triumphant sequence, not one part of the film feeling as though it were unnecessarily rushed. Luis Da Silva Jr. as Terry and Stu Bennet as Kilroy also deserve a mention, and despite their small roles, they add an additional flavor to an already superb mix of characters.