Review of The Brave One (2007) by Sage S — 22 May 2009

This movie is not brilliant, but it's a bit more subtle in revealing the truest human thoughts translated into a way that everyone can understand and be horrified within ourselves. Jodie Foster plays a woman who is attacked in Central Park with her fiancé, who doesn't survive the attack. After coming out of a coma, she acquires a firearm with incredulous ease. I think that if somebody points a gun in your direction with an intent to kill, you have right to protect yourself even in New York City. This is basically a highbrow remake of Death Wish, the popular revenge film from the mid-70s staring Charles Bronson but unlike Bronson, Foster has inner conflicts about what she is doing, and as far as the script will allow, she portrays this marvelously.

Maybe the movie would be better if it had a better social commentary on how women are in constant danger of violence in our society, regular and sexual, and how they are criminalized if they try to use force to protect themselves, but the movie never go that deep. It just proves how bad gang violence is in NYC. And it's also sad how no one cares about cleaning up the city. The Brave One is entertaining largely because of another superb performance from Jodie Foster, who has to be one of the finest actresses of her generation.

Some people may disagree with me and say that Foster should have deserved much worse but I prefer this kind of ending. It's more relaxing compared to having her severely punished and being put into jail for a long long time. But maybe that is just me!!!