I’ve come to the conclusion that Mel Gibson and violence are never without each other in movies. Now typically when you see the word action as part of a movie genre, you assume that there will be a bit of blood, people getting shot and a lot of fighting. Having followed Mel through his years as Mad Max to his direction of The Passion and We Were Soldiers, I have learnt to expect a harsher level of violence when dealing with this man. Edge of Darkness is no exception to this as the gunshot wounds and bodily fluids are of a more gory substance than your standard thriller. Mel Gibson as Thomas Craven is a treat to watch in a movie that made you feel sorry for him throughout, while fearing the bad guys that he goes up against.

Synopsis: Thomas Craven is a detective of 30 years (in the Boston criminal department) who has one thing to live for, his beautiful daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic). When Emma comes home from her job to visit, he is elated to see her, trying his hand at cooking and having flashbacks of her as a baby girl following him around the way daughters do when they love their dads. The nostalgia is forgotten instantly however by a shotgun blast as Emma is shot and dies in her father’s arms as they are about to go out for the night. Shocked, but too much man to admit it, Craven begins to investigate the death, under the assumption that the shot was meant for him. When he comes up empty handed, visions of Emma begin to haunt him and the need for closure consumes him into obsession. When Craven digs deeper he eventually uncovers a super convoluted cover-up involving his daughter and her secret life, along with important figures with enough power to make her disappear.

Edge of Darkness is literally one man against the world, as the company shadows Craven’s every move. Whenever Craven would meet someone to ask about his daughter it was almost guaranteed that they would meet a gruesome death within a scene or two. The editing was top notch in the action sequences, as one particular scene involving a car accident literally made me jump out of my seat. The sound effects and impact of the gunshots are very heavy and there are hardly any superman antics to during the gunfights. Mel Gibson does an excellent job as Thomas Craven and Gabrielle Popa is absolutely adorable as baby Emma.

If you go into Edge of Darkness expecting blazing gun fights and stunts you will be sorely disappointed. This movie is a Hardy Boys detective classic on acid, mixed in with random acts of violence and gore. The story, while confusing at times, comes through at the end, and the entire thing is brought together quite nicely. I appreciated the level of love that the Craven father and daughter had for one another and this is conveyed beautifully through flashbacks and old videos depicting them at the beach. Edge of Darkness is a very violent movie, so please watch at your own discretion, for lovers of mystery and deep drama, this is one for you.

  STAR RATING: (7/10)   ★★★★★★★★★★