Seeking Justice (2011)

10 Comments

1. 

   collipal-1 from Argentina
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   I was not very interested in watching Seeking Justice but I decided torisk myself, because the publicity and the title suggested a typicaltale of personal revenge in the purest style of B cinema, and besides,Nicolas Cage can be a good actor whenever he wants to. To my surprise,the film ended up defying my low expectations with a screenplay whichis more ambitious than I expected, and even though it eventuallytangles itself too much for its own good, I never found it boring orpredictable.

   I found the concept of Seeking Justice very interesting…somethinglike an hybrid thriller, built with parts from Fight Club, Straw Dogsand Strangers on a Train. The combination works pretty well until thehalf of the film, when we get into conspiracy fields which quicklybecome confusing, improbable and even a bit ridiculous. However, RogerDonaldson's dynamic direction avoids the movie to get boring. Cagemakes a credible work in the leading role, and he is well complementedby the solid performances from January Jones and Guy Pearce.

   So, I would say that the screenplay from Seeking Justice issimultaneously its main pro and its main obstacle, because it startswith an interesting idea, it develops it well for a while, but itlooses the course and the narrative focus during the second half, untilleading to an excessively convenient ending.

   Anyway, I had a good time while watching Seeking Justice, and Iconsider it worthy of a moderate recommendation. However, if you wannawatch better movies about revenge, I recommend you Oldboy, bothversions of I Spit on Your Grave or Death Wish. Nevertheless, I likedSeeking Justice despite its fails, and it was better than I expected.

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2. 

   Harriet Downey from United Kingdom
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   Nicolas Cage and Guy Pearce aren't exactly my favourite actors, I can'tput my finger on why but they both just really annoy me. So I didn'thave very high expectations going into this film, thinking that I wouldbe rolling my eyes at every word they uttered. The fact that I enjoyedthe film, is either a nod to my ability of being able to withstandirritating people or that it was actually a really good film.

   The untimely incident with Will's (Cage) wife (January Jones), was madeeven more disturbing by the juxtaposition of him playing chess. Such anugly event opposed to a tranquil game, it worked really well. I didhave a little pernickety moment, when Will went to visit his wife inhospital. His character just didn't seem believable, he didn't even askwhat had happened to her or how she was. Most normal people would (ok,moment over).

   The snakeskin shoes worn by the villain is a great reiteration of thephrase several characters use, "This place (New Orleans) is going tohell," and judging by the choice of the initial villain's footwear,he's going to be the one to take them there.

   January Jones shows how to fight back, with her major "girl power"moments and as a teensy feminist, I loved it. Alongside a thrillingplot, I was pleasantly surprised.

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3. 

   Neil Welch from United Kingdom
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   We do love Nicolas Cage, don't we? His career is always interesting,even if his films aren't – he seems to make, in equal measure (althoughnot necessarily consecutively) critically acclaimed art-house movies,multiplex crowd pleasers, and utter clunkers. Justice (aka SeekingJustice) seems to have been prejudged as being a clunker.

   It tells of what befalls teacher Will Gerard (Cage), after his musicianwife Laura (January Jones) is brutally raped and beaten. He isapproached in the hospital waiting room by mysterious and vaguelymenacing stranger Simon (Guy Pearce) who observes how little the lawseems to do for people in the Gerards' situation, and offers to fillthat gap – and it will only cost some sort of small favour in thefuture. Seeing his wife's condition, Will accepts, and Laura's rapistduly turns up dead in fairly short order. Then Simon calls Will for thefavour, and that's when things go pear-shaped.

   This isn't such a clunker as you may have been led to believe. It isn'ta multiplex crowd-pleaser either, but it has a good set-up, a grittyfeel, and a cast who perform with commitment. The resolution,unfortunately, isn't as good as the set-up, and the script isn't toobrilliant (with, frankly, some fairly unbelievable stuff in it), but itis a decent, if unexceptional, thriller – there have been much worse,and Cage has been responsible for some of them!

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4. 

   Arne VM from Belgium
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   This movie surprised me, since many people claim that Cage only has"bad" films. This one is actually quite good. In fact, I was about togive it an 8, but due a few bad actors I couldn't.

   I think Cage acted good in this film. The story is easy to follow, sono brain cracking mysteries that make you think by the end of the film"what the hell happened." I really can't stand complex endings.

   In easy words, it's an enjoyable thriller about a guy who's wife getsraped. In the hospital, this strange guy in a suit does this proposalto kill the rapist for him. As he agrees with doubts, it soon turns outhe needs to kill other people for him to repay this civic organizationwho "seek justice". Of course, he doesn't want to kill people and asksthe same guy to get out of his life. If only it was that simple…

   I recommend to see it! Enough action, thrilling scenes, mostlywell-chosen actors. It's a 7 alright!

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5. 

   tugce-tunalilar from Turkey
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   To be honest, I was particularly happy with the movie. This might bepartially due to the fact that the last one I watched was Musallat 2 -a wanna be scary Turkish movie.

   The plot was well-written, although with some gaps in certain placesthat makes the viewer think if it is because of time constraints, and Ireally liked the message and the place- New Orleans – chosen for themovie. I also liked how, at the end, it went back to the beginning -and the reverse, thus creating questions in our minds at the beginning.

   Sometimes it seemed to me hard to believe how serene Nicolas Cage'scharacter could be- under certain circumstances – it seemed that someemotions were lacking, but it might be a choice of acting of course. Ireally liked Laura's perseverance, her willingness to move on and hertrust in her husband. They did a really good psychological job on thecharacter.

   Overall, it was a good one. I really liked what I saw. Actions were inplace, and were used well to create suspense.

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6. 

   Tony West from United Kingdom
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   Although a number of reviews play down this film, I thoroughly enjoyedit. I quite like Nicholas Cage, ever since Con Air – he seems to playthe laid back, slightly relaxed good guy to whom it all just gets a bittoo much. You are quickly engaged with the theme of the film although Ihave to say I find it difficult to imagine Mr. Cage as a High SchoolEnglish lecturer. No massive brain power needed to follow the storyline which moves at a satisfying pace.

   In this, at times, quite plausible film he again enjoys the hard doneby guy but you find yourself drawn along with him almost feeling forhim.

   A very nice way to spend 105 minutes and well worth your viewing time.a definite 7.

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7. 

   changmoh from Malaysia
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   Dogged by box-office flops over the past few years, Nic Cage’s jinx seems to cast a pall over this suspense thriller. For one, the film is opening in Asia before North America. Next, the title, revised from ‘The Hungry Rabbit Jumps’, sounds rather mundane, but this is definitely one of Cage’s better films and it certainly benefits from his performance.The problem with this movie lies in its script. Set in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, “Seeking Justice” has an interesting premise. However, director Roger Donaldson fails to explore it fully – and opts for more melodramatic but semi-relevant conclusion.Cage plays Nick Gerard, a school teacher and a loving husband to Laura (January Jones). He spends his evenings playing chess with his colleague Jimmy (Harold Perrineau) while Laura rehearses her part in an orchestra. This routine changes when Laura is brutally raped one night. At the hospital, as Nick agonizes over his wife’s assault, a man who calls himself Simon (Guy Pearce) approaches him with an offer to deal with his wife’s rapist in the way that the police and the justice system cannot. In return, he has to do some ‘favours’ for the group that Simon represents.Initially, Nick is appalled by the idea of vigilante justice. However, when he sees what the rapist has done to Laura’s spirit, he agrees. Indeed, Nick is glad that the rape trauma is finally over… but his nightmare is just starting! I am glad that this one does not play like an updated version of “Death Wish” or “Taken”. Seeking Justice is more complex and complicated than those flicks – before the plot gets sidetracked after the second half, that is. Cage and Jones are highly creditable for their roles as an ordinary couple trapped in extraordinary circumstances and situations. And it is easy to sympathize with them, especially with Cage’s Nick as he grapples with the problem of shaking off from the shackles of Simon’s vigilante group. Jones’s Laura seems to have been dismissed rather early in the movie. Donaldson would not delve into the after-effects of her trauma, opting to concentrate on Nick instead.Jennifer Carpenter (of TV’s “Dexter” fame) is also underused as Laura’s best friend, while Pearce is suitable enigmatic and menacing as Sam, a role he can play in his sleep. Another thing I like about Donaldson’s directing is his allusions to Hurricane Katrina, comparing its devastation of the city to the psychological assault faced by Nick and Laura. The movie claims that after Katrina, New Orleans folk have taken it upon themselves to keep the city safe, doing whatever it takes. However, Donaldson and writer Todd Hickey fail to explain how the city-wide vigilante scheme works, and they leave gaping holes in the narrative.

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8. 

   Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   In New Orleans, the English teacher of the high school Rampart HighWill Gerard (Nicolas Cage) and his wife, the musician Laura Gerard(January Jones), are in love with each other. One night, Laura leavesthe rehearsal in a theater and is assaulted and beat up by a rapistwhile Will is playing chess with his friend Jimmy (Harold Perrineau).

   Will stays in the hospital and out of the blue, a stranger named Simon(Guy Pearce) tells that he belongs to an organization of vigilantes andoffers to eliminate the rapist. In return, they would want a favor fromWill in the future. Will accepts the agreement, the criminal ismurdered and six months later, Simon collects his debt with Will. Hegives the password "The hungry rabbit jumps" to Will that learns thathe shall kill the pedophile Alan Marsh (Jason Davis). Will accidentallykills Alan and sooner he learns that the victim was an awardedjournalist that was investigating the organization. Now he seeksevidences to prove his innocence but the network of the organization ispowerful and is seeking Will out to eliminate him.

   "Seeking Justice" is an entertaining thriller with a good story thatentwines the idea of "Death Wish" with "The Star Chamber". The non-stopaction does not give time to the viewer to think and consequently hidesthe flaws in the screenplay. The forgettable story is quitepredictable; Nicolas Cage and January Jones have good performances; butin the end I enjoyed this film. My vote is seven.

   Title (Brazil): "O Pacto" ("The Pact")

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9. 

   Gabriela Rodriguez B
   29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

   At first time i was thinking a lot for seen these movie, because rightnow Nicolas wasn't doing good movies at all. Still, this one wasn't thegreats neither the worst. Makes you wonder hows gonna end, some thingsa little weak of interpretation, story line was good, acting was verywell got to admit, action quite impressive how this one can fit in thebelievable context. I was expecting to see more the other characters,Guy, January.

   Despite all the little missing things was a good movie. But i stillwant to see more of Nicolas, he did great movies a years back, wedeserve more from him as an actor.

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10. 

    unknownwhitemale from United States
    29 Mar 2012, 3:11 pm

    Nicolas Cage has recently been on a bad streak of movies such as Seasonof The Witch, Trespass, and recently Ghost Rider 2. I watched this withno expectations and to my surprise thought it was actually prettydecent suspense thriller. No, it's not a great movie, but it's aperfect Rental that will keep you entertained. The acting is actuallypretty good. Cage and Jones do an alright job, but Pearce really did agood job as the villain in the film. I thought a movie like this wouldbe predictable, but the film actually goes in a bit of a differentdirection than you would expect it to. However, the movie fell flat init's third act when it substituted all of it's suspense for action anda somewhat disappointing ending. Still, even though it's not a greatmovie and has it's flaws, Seeking Justice is still a decent thrillerperfect for a rental that is better than you would probably expect.Even if you don't care for it, you still can easily admit that it'sbetter than any of Cage's other recent films.

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