Review of Dead Man Walking (1995) by Daniel P — 02 May 2011
"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." - Mahatma Gandhi For me, Dead Man Walking is the most compelling and convincing film I've seen against the death penalty. It is also incredibly fair, balanced and unbiased, continually flashing back to the horrific crimes committed, and showing the points of view from the victims' families.
In fact, every possible point of view is shown, it never panders to one argument, it never explicitly says that the death penalty is wrong, and it won't necessarily change someone's beliefs. The later The Life of David Gale worked as a thriller but it was anti-intellectual in tone despite some strong writing and good performances.
This film by contrast doesn't get bogged down in snappy one liners or statistics, and instead with conviction and simplicity tells one story. Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn are both magnificent, as are the supporting cast (watch out for early performances from Jack Black and Peter Sarsgaard).
A masterpiece.
This review of Dead Man Walking (1995) was written by Daniel P on 02 May 2011.
Dead Man Walking has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
