"Righteous Kill" trailer

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Trailers always distort to this or that degree and sometimes even unwittingly undermine the feature they're trying to sell, but a voice is telling me that this trailer for Jon Avnet's Righteous Kill (Overture, 9.12) is doing a straightforward job of telling us what this cop thriller basically is. It could be an okay sit but you can also tell right off the bat that it sure ain't Heat. The adjectives that come to mind are "second-tier," "crude," "flip" and "paycheck job for Robert De Niro and Al Pacino."

I decided it was a piece of cheese right at the beginning when a judge says "order! order!" in a courtroom. That's a dog-eared cliche that you might hear on a Saturday Night Live sketch....maybe, in an ironic sense. No real-life judge would ever use the term "order!" for the simple reason that only actors playing judges in second- rate movies say this.

The main thing I got from the trailer is that Pacino, 67, looks younger (thinner, tighter face, cooler-looking hair) than De Niro, 63.

The plot is about ethical conflicts among two veteran detectives who half-agree with the motives of a vigilante killer who's offing bad guys. Not original enough....sorry.

It's very, very hard to make a film work to any degree, but Avnet, no offense, simply lacks that grade-A pedigree element. His two best films, Fried Green Tomatoes and The War, came out 17 and 14 years ago, respectively. Up Close and Personal ('96) was a disappointment given the Jessica Savitch material he had to work with. Red Corner ('97) wasn't bad (production designer Richard Sylbert did a fine job of recreating Beijing in Los Angeles) but it was also the last feature Avnet directed in a decade. His most recent effort, 88 minutes, is being released on 4.18 from TriStar.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 8, 2008 at 7:00 AM

comment #1

Dublin101 says ...

The director is a hack and the basic plot reeks of a mid 90's direct to video film. I could imagine Stephen Segal starring in this movie back in the day. On the upside Carla Guigino looks smoking hot as she always does. But based on the trailer I would wait for this on cable.

Posted by Dublin101 at March 8, 2008 9:39 AM

comment #2

actionman says ...

Jon Avnet directed THE STARTER WIFE. The fucking Starter Wife!!! Heat...um...no....this won't even be Showtime.

What's most disturbing is that the film was written by the guy who wrote Inside Man, which was rather brilliant. Makes me think Spike had more to do with that than Gewirtz.

Posted by actionman at March 8, 2008 9:41 AM

comment #3

squealy says ...

I know they're ageless icons and everything, but aren't De Niro and Pacino a little old to be playing homicide detectives? Don't those guys retire pretty young?

Posted by squealy at March 8, 2008 9:43 AM

comment #4

actionman says ...

However, Avnet did direct episodes of Boomtown, which was fucking incredible on all levels. One of my favorite tv shows of all time.

Posted by actionman at March 8, 2008 9:44 AM

comment #5

christian says ...

I would like to suggest an official moritorium on big name actors playing policemen. Just for a year.

Posted by christian at March 8, 2008 9:45 AM

comment #6

actionman says ...

And having said all that, there's no way I will miss this film, just for the pure thrill of seeing these two legends together on the big screen.

Posted by actionman at March 8, 2008 9:47 AM

comment #7

jjgittes says ...

Easy people (you too Jeff), so it's not gonna be HEAT - big deal, it's probably a fun sit through with something we've never seen : the 2 pre-eminent post-Brando American actors interacting for a whole film.

Who cares if it's crude? Fuck it - not everything has to be Art with a capital A - give me a good genre piece with good acting from the two leads and I'm happy.

And this is not cashing a paycheck for either of them - they aren't stupid enough to show up in a film together, even if it's formula stuff like this, without bringing their A-games and running the risk of being shown up the other.

Can we all stop being such elitist dickheads for a few minutes and just enjoy the fact that we'll get to see these two national treasures in a film again before they freakin' die?

Thanks.

You may go back to now to bitching about Jon Avnet or whatever.....as for me I'll be seeing this on day one.

Probably twice.

Posted by jjgittes at March 8, 2008 9:49 AM

comment #8

actionman says ...

After watching the film a few times, I will now say it looks like fun. 50 Cent is a shitty actor so that won't help matters though; his performance in Home of the Brave was painfully amateurish. Carla is sexy as hell so that will negate the 50 Cent factor for me probably. Looks like the cinematography will be nice and slick. I agree with jjgittes that not everything needs to be grade-A to be entertaining, but it's just a shame that after seeing something like Heat, the two of them aren't in a better film. And 88 Minutes has been shitting on the shelf for what...like 2 years now?

Posted by actionman at March 8, 2008 9:55 AM

comment #9

The Winchester says ...

DeNiro looks constipated as hell in that picture.

Over at Aint It cool, there are a few test reviews of the flick. Doesn't sound too promising. Shame.

When's the Heat video game coming out?

Posted by The Winchester at March 8, 2008 9:56 AM

comment #10

actionman says ...

"After watching the film a few times"

I meant to say after watching the trailer a few times.

Posted by actionman at March 8, 2008 10:01 AM

comment #11

vansmith says ...

they did this picture because of the writer, actors want in on his stuff, it'll be good, maybe a 50-60 mill gross.

Posted by vansmith at March 8, 2008 10:03 AM

comment #12

jjgittes says ...

Wouldn't trust those AICN reviews - there's 3 up there, 1 positive, 2 negative, and at least one of the negative ones is really dubious and vague. I spoke to some people who were at the screening and it apparently tested well - not through the roof or anything, but good marks overall and especially high marks for the leads.

"88 Minutes" is at least 2 years old. I saw the film about a year ago in Greece. Not a good film -implausible, insulting nonsense at worst; throwaway popcorn film good for a matinee at the absolute best. Pacino is the only thing that keeps it somewhat watchable.

I'd compare it to a typical Ashley Judd thriller......might be a different version in the US from what I saw when i was in Europe though, since Sony picked it up - the trailer has scenes in it that were not in the film I saw.

Posted by jjgittes at March 8, 2008 10:06 AM

comment #13

Dave says ...

What pisses me off about this? How many decades we wasted where both DeNiro and Pacino could have done a GREAT picture together, with a great director and script. . . and we get this instead.

It's like when actresses pose for Playboy in their 40s back when they were hot in their 20s. Yes, we've all been dying to see you naked for years. No, we no longer want to see you naked.

I sure hope this is a surprise, because the vibe is of a tragic waste.

Posted by Dave at March 8, 2008 10:14 AM

comment #14

jjgittes says ...

There actually hasn't been THAT much of a chance for them to work together. Wouldn't have happened in the 70s - they were in competition for the same roles.

Wouldn't have happened in the 80s because Pacino didn't work much (4 films prior to his comeback not counting his self-financed "Local Stigmatic" which is great). They did almost work on "Pope of Greenwich Village" in the early 80s but it fell through.

Hard to happen in the 90s due to large paychecks they were commanding but that's when we got HEAT.

Hard to happen since HEAT because well - that's hard to follow-up. At their ages now, the pressures off.....they could each use a hit film too - makes perfect sense why they didn't before and are now.

Posted by jjgittes at March 8, 2008 10:23 AM

comment #15

cinemascopian says ...

A rule of thumb: any movie produced by Lerner/Dimbort's Millennium Fims (or Nu Image) will be an entertaining sit-through after midnight on cable movie channel, providing it doesn't have any marquee star (nothing higher than a Baldwin). They make decent policier B-Movies, those that almost always stumble into a strip-club somewhere in the first act. But anytime they try to make anything that's deliberately anti-cheesy, they fail miserably. "88 Minutes" already played here in Israel and it's horrible. You feel sorry for Pacino there. They should stick to their Van-Dammes and their Wesley Snipes, which they they churn out not half bad.

Posted by cinemascopian at March 8, 2008 10:26 AM

comment #16

jjgittes says ...

Millenium/NUImage always does crap it's true however, Righteous Kill is a different fish from their other films.

Twice as high on the budget as anything they'd ever done, first film they ever outbid the studios on for the screenplay and first film the pre-sold so they gave up some artistic input (which is good !).

Might still suck - but it's a different animal than their previous films.

Posted by jjgittes at March 8, 2008 10:35 AM

comment #17

cinemascopian says ...

Different fish directed by Jon Avnet? If they thought it has any domestic theatrical legs they'd give it to an 80's action-man, like John McTiernan, Brian DePalma, Richard Donner or even John Badham. But with Jon Avnet you know the movie will be flat and uninspired. But they are brilliant numbers people - but horrible content people - and they know that with a Pacino/DeNiro headline they can pre-sell the hell out of this thing internationally, and then they wouldn't mind a mediocre 20-30 mil domestic box-office, before making a killing on DVD.

But, as I said: I like their cheesy B movies (check out their Justin Timberlake-Kevin Spacey oddball crime flick "Edison"), they had one solid run with the Brice Willis "16 Blocks" (wish they made more like this) and even "Black Dahlia" is watchable on cable re-runs, so there is the off-shot chance that this could turn out to be a OK guilty pleasure.

Posted by cinemascopian at March 8, 2008 10:47 AM

comment #18

jjgittes says ...

Avnet got the property because of his solid relationship with the company.

He was involved with the acquisition of the script he wasn't just brought in, so it would have been hard to replace him.

I hated Edison and Black Dahlia but I thought King of California was pretty decent as was 16 Blocks. Didn't hate 88 Minutes as much as you did though, just found it mediocre in the extreme.

They definitely think RK has a payoff domestic BO-wise......the Overture deal is a big one, and if this movie stiffs at the box office (less than 50 million), heads are gonna roll at Overture.

Posted by jjgittes at March 8, 2008 11:00 AM

comment #19

rgmax99 says ...

You guys and gals complain all you want. The trailer, to me, rocks. I'll be there on opening day. Yep, Avnet IS a hack, but I'll still be there.

Hell, I'll even be there for 88 Minutes.

Posted by rgmax99 at March 8, 2008 11:02 AM

comment #20

Gordie Lachance says ...

"Nothing wrong with a little shooting, as long as the right people get shot."

Possible the worst trailer dialogue since Devito's "Everyone needs money. That's why they call it money." in Heist.

Posted by Gordie Lachance at March 8, 2008 11:19 AM

comment #21

Josh Massey says ...

That Heist line was hilarious. I'm not with you there at all.

And the "40-year-old in Playboy" comparison was perfect here.

Posted by Josh Massey at March 8, 2008 12:09 PM

comment #22

Arran says ...

I loved that Heist line. I quote it all the time. Not a great movie overall, but some of the most quotable dialogue I've heard this decade.

As for Righteous Kill, looks ordinary but watchable enough. And come on, it has Brian Dennehy. THE Brian Dennehy.

Posted by Arran at March 8, 2008 12:21 PM

comment #23

George Prager says ...

Just be thankful that John Turtletaub didn't make it. Speaking of Brian Dennehy, is BEST SELLER on DVD? I want to have a COP/BEST SELLER double feature.

Posted by George Prager at March 8, 2008 12:26 PM

comment #24

Doug Pratt says ...

At least Avnet is smart enough to put them in the same shots together, something Mann didn't have the imagination to do.

Posted by Doug Pratt at March 8, 2008 12:33 PM

comment #25

Gordie Lachance says ...

Okay.......someone has to explain the Heist line to me then. It's like saying "Of course the sky is blue...that's why they call it blue."

It's not a play on words. It's not ironic. It's not a pun. It's not absurd. It's not a double meaning. It's not a contradiction. It's not even that clever.

What the heck is so funny about it?

Posted by Gordie Lachance at March 8, 2008 12:38 PM

comment #26

Gordie Lachance says ...

In other words (and this is a really lame example, but I don't have time) if someone was a gold miner, and he told his partner he was keeping all the profits for himself, and then said, "That's why they call it mining."..... at least that's a pun of sorts.

The word money doesn't mean anything but money. So what else would they call it?

Posted by Gordie Lachance at March 8, 2008 12:43 PM

comment #27

vansmith says ...

Gordie its all those things, its mamet speak par excellence, its perfect in its succinctness, you missed it, it happens...

Posted by vansmith at March 8, 2008 12:44 PM

comment #28

christian says ...

They call it Mamet.

Posted by christian at March 8, 2008 12:44 PM

comment #29

Arran says ...

Go back to making chocolate you Heidi motherfuckers, cos we have got your gold.

Posted by Arran at March 8, 2008 12:48 PM

comment #30

Gordie Lachance says ...

There's two things I know to be true. There's no difference between good flan and bad flan, and the money line stinks.

Posted by Gordie Lachance at March 8, 2008 12:50 PM

comment #31

vansmith says ...

are you fucking with me, are you fucking with me, are you through fucking with me???!!

Posted by vansmith at March 8, 2008 12:53 PM

comment #32

Arran says ...

Joe Moore: Why doesn't he shoot me?
Fran Moore: That's the deal.
Joe Moore: He ain't gonna shoot me?
Fran Moore: No.
Joe Moore: Then he hadn't ought to point a gun at me. It's insincere.

Posted by Arran at March 8, 2008 1:16 PM

comment #33

Rich S. says ...

"Righteous Swill!"

- Rex Reed

Posted by Rich S. at March 8, 2008 1:23 PM

comment #34

MAGGA says ...

"People don't jpint the force to serve and protect, but to get respect"

True to my experiences with the police.

Posted by MAGGA at March 8, 2008 1:40 PM

comment #35

le corbeau says ...

Maybe this will be the Pacino-DeNiro equivalent of Midnight Run. There's more chance of that than of it being Heat, since one requires a great director, the other involves subverting a middling director.

Posted by le corbeau at March 8, 2008 2:37 PM

comment #36

Terry McCarty says ...

Re 88 MINUTES: Just saw a poster for it last night when I came out of THE BANK JOB (likely to make my best of 08 list). Noticed that Sony farmed the 88 release to Tri-Star.

Posted by Terry McCarty at March 8, 2008 2:45 PM

comment #37

Terry McCarty says ...

Qualifying my last post: Tri-Star meaning that without Pacino, the film might have gone to Screen Gems.

Posted by Terry McCarty at March 8, 2008 2:50 PM

comment #38

AJW says ...

So is DeNiro the killer? Or is going to be whoever has the Scott-Glenn-in-Backdraft role?

Posted by AJW at March 8, 2008 9:17 PM

comment #39

Terry McCarty says ...

George Prager asked:
Speaking of Brian Dennehy, is BEST SELLER on DVD?

MGM put it out on DVD as a bare-bones edition a few years ago.

Posted by Terry McCarty at March 9, 2008 12:53 AM

comment #40

truefaith says ...

Why haven't De Niro and Pacino worked much with each other? Good question. Could be that back in the old days, De Niro was too busy making Scorsese films and for some reason, Scorsese didn't want to have anything to do with Pacino. (Maybe because Pacino had already become a mafia-icon with Coppola, and Scorsese respected that.) Also, it seems that Pacino gravitates towards Shakespearean roles more than De Niro. So it could be that their taste in films are different too.

Posted by truefaith at March 9, 2008 10:45 AM

comment #41

JBM... says ...

This movie's script is hot doo-doo. I'm ashamed for all involved.

Posted by JBM... at March 9, 2008 1:11 PM

comment #42

BurmaShave says ...

I thought it looked pretty sexy. Obviously wait for video, but I thought it was pretty well cut. Did a much better job of cribbing on THE DEPARTED trailer than WE OWN THE NIGHT. That song always kills.

Posted by BurmaShave at March 9, 2008 3:50 PM

comment #43