Rating: Kernel
NYPD detectives David Fisk and Thomas Cowan have been partners for over 30 years and are on the brink of retiring, but they are called to investigate one last homicide that has links to a previous case. When they arrive to the scene, they discover that the victim is a wanted criminal whose body is found with a four-line poem. As more similar cases unfold, Fisk and Cowan realize that they’re after a serial killer who targets criminals who’ve slipped through the cracks of the judicial system. When they begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together, they realize that they might have put the wrong guy in prison in their previous case.
Alliance Film’s Righteous Kill stars Al Pacino (88 Minutes, The Godfather), Robert De Niro (Raging Bull, Goodfellas), Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson (Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Home of the Brave), John Leguizamo (The Babysitters, The Happening), and Donnie Wahlberg (The Sixth Sense, Saw II & III).
Righteous Kill features the first time Pacino and De Niro lead together. They were both in The Godfather II, but weren’t in any scenes together. They also starred in Heat back in the 90’s, this time working together for a couple of minutes. Their first real appearance together on screen brings some good chemistry, but because they’re both past their acting peak, it seems like they have the same lines they’ve used in previous films. The pair try to bring some sarcasm and comedy to this psychological thriller however they fail to bring any laughs.
Although De Niro has played various roles in his acting career, Pacino’s part as another detective is just a repeat of past performances. Both can’t seemed to say anything intelligent. Being a Pacino and De Niro fan, I would say that Righteous Kill is better than Pacino’s last film, 88 Minutes, but it doesn’t surpass it by much. The film lacks in the suspense department as you can easily guess the ending within the first twenty minutes. Unless you’re an avid fan of De Niro or Pacino, I would recommend waiting for the DVD release.
Release Date: September 12, 2008
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