The Law Abides

Law-Abiding Citizen (2009)

Starring: Jock McGregor, James E. Fox Directed by: F. Murray Abraham Rating: R Genre: Action Other

Review About as appealing as being served a communion wafer topped by mole turds by Mickey Rourke in a kilt. Former actor F. Murray Abraham's ("Salieri!", "Avast!: The Charles Nelson Reilly Story") remake of Charles Bronson's ("Chucho's Raiders", "Leave Them No Heads To Bury") "Death Wishes" seems to want it both ways, neither of them good. Haggis-ridden Scotch dunderhead Jock McGregor (so good in Broadway's musical adaptation of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") looks like he's had his eyebrows permanently tattooed into a scowling 'V' of shame, anger and retribution. But that's not quite enough to be called acting, and here the Hibernian Hulk seems to be mailing it on on a day when the trains aren't running. James E. Fox ("Drell: The Archie Bell Story") gives an odd but solid performance as  the district attorney who must return prematurely from a yodeling competition in the Alps to bring McGregor to justice. While the Swiss subplot just didn't work for me, I admit I was on Amazon moments after returning home in search of the soundtrack. What Abraham, who's searing intelligence has scorched his tragic face into our collective unconscious, thought he was doing staggering around the revenge flick wasteland is beyond me. And I've written to his blog to let him know that I expect much more from the Sexy Beast. That is all.