"Death Sentence" (SD DVD)

Synopsis

Nick Hume (Bacon) is a regular working guy - an insurance company manager - with a wife and two sons. One evening, after his son's hockey game, they stop at a gas station. A group of thugs rob the station, and in the process, they brutally murder the boy. Nick identifies one of the attackers, but when the DA tells him that there is not enough evidence to put him away for more than five years, he declines to identify him in court, and he is released. Nick has his own ideas for punishment, not only for the single attacker, but for the all the rest of them.
 

Commentary

Death Sentence is B flick revenge movie, pretty much like the classic one called Death Wish. Unfortunately, DS is no DW, in part, I suppose, because it's the same plot. But, wait, maybe not exactly the same. This time, the main character knows nothing about guns or violence, so when face to face with the men he hates so much, he hesitates. But not for long. If you like revenge movies, you will probably enjoy this one, as I did, because it is always fun to see bullies get their brains blown out. Otherwise, don't bother.

Technical

James Wan, who directed Saw, tries something here that hadn't been done before. There is a scene in a parking garage where the protagonist is being pursued by the antagonists (did you think they would sit idly by and watch their membership being attenuated in very unpleasant ways?), and the camera goes from floor to floor, outside the garage, and then into the garage on each floor. In the extras section, they show how they did it. One shot, about five minutes long.

Extras

The extras section is more entertaining than the movie, actually. Kevin Bacon has an interview with three would-be film students, and it is very enlightening. There is also the featurette on how they shot that scene in the parking garage.