DEAD MAN DOWN

I thought Dead Man Down was going to be a war movie about heroism in battle, and when I saw that it was turning out to be a kind of ‘thug movie’ I almost quit it because they rarely have a happy ending and I love a movie with a happy ending, especially a love story. Colin Farrell plays a hit man void of reason to live other than to have his vengeance on a group of men that killed his wife and little girl. He is distracted by a woman, played by Noom Rapace, who blackmails him into killing the man who maimed her for life and got off scot free. They can’t fix their own lives and they can’t let the pain go, but miraculously, they begin to care about helping each other overcome theirs. Slowly, tumultuously, almost unnoticeably, their own healing begins. If you don’t watch movies with shooting, fighting and killing or that show how despicable life can be, you might want to avoid this one. It has so many twists and turns I don’t want to ruin it for you. All I can say is you will not be sorry you gave this one a chance. All things considered, in the end it actually does turn out to be a very good kind of war movie, and an awesome example of the miracle transforming power of love. When he comes to rescue her, it can be seen that the classical ‘Jesus plot’ is still alive and well in Hollywood. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Hallelujah!