Death Sentence (2007)

This is one of the most intense and difficult to watch films that I have seen in a long time; as a father, it was extremely hard to sit through. Despite that, and because of it, I really enjoyed this film. Death Sentence is the story of a father's quest for vengeance after his son falls victim to a gang's initiation ritual, and how it tears his family apart. This film is really good and does not follow the cookie-cutter guidelines that most do. It is not happy and is, in general, not fun to watch, but it is well written, well acted and quite gripping. Kevin Bacon stars as the father who becomes engulfed in his quest for revenge to the eventual ruin of his life. Knowing this, it is still impossible to blame Bacon for what he does. I tried, though I did not want to, to put myself in his shoes, and I cannot begin to fathom what fear, anger and hatred would cause me to do if something happened to my child. Even thinking about that situation is almost unbearable, so if you do not think that you can stomach it, TBS just got Talladega Nights, so enjoy yourself. Kevin Bacon is one of the most underrated actors in film today. It is true that he is in a lot of movies, but I can think of few in which he did not do a good job. In certain roles, like in Stir of Echoes or this one, Death Sentence, he delivers what I would call Oscar worth performances. The rest of the cast, including Kelly Preston and John Goodman, do good work in their supporting roles, but Bacon carries this film. Death Sentence raises a lot of interesting questions and gives the audience, especially parents, a lot to think about. In that sense, it is a little self-indulgent and over-the-top in certain parts, but overall, it is really good. My wife did not watch the film with me, and I am glad of that; it would have been too hard for her. I liked this movie a lot and am glad that I saw it, but I hope that I never have to watch it again. I give Death Sentence 3 stars.