The Hindu : Karnataka News : Not much beyond a show of acting skills

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka

Not much beyond a show of acting skills

detective mode: ‘Righteous Kill’ does not deliver on suspense

Righteous Kill (English)

Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Carlo Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg

Director: Jon Avnet

“Righteous Kill” is a regular, by-the-numbers, police procedural that has a lot of hype going for it, thanks to the casting coup of bringing Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together.

Here the thespians play grizzled veteran NYPD cops, Turk (De Niro) and Rooster (Pacino) on the track of a serial killer who kills criminals who have walked free because of a loophole in the case. The killer leaves a little poem on the body of the victims. The two are helped by CSI officer Karen Corelli, whose penchant for rough sex is gratified by Turk. Detectives Perez and Riley are also on the case and think they can solve it before the old timers. As the investigation progresses, the needle of suspicion points towards one of NYPD’s own particularly Turk who has a reputation of sometimes being like a “pit bull on steroids”, as his partner and buddy Rooster comments.

The movie does not deliver either on suspense, or as a character study. So you are left with the thrill of the veterans showing off their acting chops.

MINI ANTHIKAD-CHHIBBER

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka