Death Sentence (2007)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

James Wan

Writers (WGA):

Ian Jeffers (screenplay)
Brian Garfield (novel)

Release Date:

31 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Protect What's Yours

Plot:

Nick Hume is a mild-mannered executive with a perfect life, until one gruesome night he witnesses something that changes him forever. Transformed by grief, Hume eventually comes to the disturbing conclusion that no length is too great when protecting his family.

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Death | Revenge | Blood On Camera Lens | Car Theft

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kevin Bacon	...	Nick Hume
Kelly Preston	...	Helen Hume
Jordan Garrett	...	Lucas Hume
Stuart Lafferty	...	Brendan Hume
Garrett Hedlund	...	Billy Darley
Aisha Tyler	...	Detective Wallis
John Goodman	...	Bones Darley
Matt O'Leary	...	Joe Darley (as Matthew O'Leary)
Edi Gathegi	...	Bodie
Hector Atreyu Ruiz	...	Heco
Kanin Howell	...	Baggy
Dennis Keiffer	...	Jamie
Freddy Bouciegues	...	Tommy
Leigh Whannell	...	Spink
Casey Pieretti	...	Dog

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody brutal violence and pervasive language.

Runtime:

105 min | 111 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:18 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:18 | Germany:18 | Netherlands:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:R-18 | South Korea:18 | Singapore:M18 | France:-12 | USA:R (certificate #43539) | Australia:MA | Norway:15 | New Zealand:R18 | Malaysia:18SG | Finland:K-18 | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | Portugal:M/18 | Peru:18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Japan:R15+

Filming Locations:

Columbia, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Judith Roberts who plays Judge Shaw in this film is also cast in another James Wan 's film Dead Silence (2007) as Mary Shaw. Coincidentally, the Kevin Bacon film Tremors (1990) had the working title "Dead Silence."

Goofs:

Factual errors: Toward the end of the shootout in the "Office" chapel, Nick's handgun runs out of ammo and the slide is locked open. He continues to pull the trigger and the gun makes 2 clicking sounds. In reality, once a semi-automatic handgun is empty and the slide is locked open, the trigger is no longer cocked and cannot be pulled.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nicholas "Nick" Hume: [while recording his family at Christmas] Okay, guys. Ready?

Movie Connections:

References Saw (2004)

Soundtrack:

Urban Irwin

A Stunning And Gut-wrenching Experience

I've been debating about how to review this film...and you know what? I'll keep it as lean and focused as "Death Sentence" was. I got to view some fine film-making, expertly acted and directed. Bacon has always been an actor whose dives head-first into difficult roles, and this one covers a wide range of emotions...from family concern and love to grief to rage to fear to finally cold machine-like calm. I was particularly impressed with James Wan, who really raised his game to A-list level, easily creating moments of drama, action and suspense. His skill gave the film moments of real entertainment, because the plot was not...it's bleak and brutal, and hardly ever lets up...but like Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects" or William Friedkin's "Bug", the film will stay with me for a long time.