DVD Review: Vigilante

STUDIO: MTI | DIRECTOR: Aash Aaron | STARS: Robert Diaz, Kazuya Wright, Lexie Symon
RELEASE DATE: 3/23/2010 | PRICE: DVD $24.95
BONUSES: no extras
SPECS: R | 90 min. | Thriller | 1.85:1 widescreen | Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround | Spanish subtitles

RATINGS (out of 5): Movie | Audio | Video | Overall

As Australian revenge-thriller movies go, Vigilante has to get a lot madder to out do Mad Max. Mel Gibson’s franchise debut was glorious in its unrelenting pace and camera derring-do, setting high water marks for low budget independent films. One wonders if Aussie writer/director Aash Aaron (surely the first name in the alphabetical director’s listing) has even seen his fellow countryman George Miller’s ode to testosterone and gasoline.

Aaron’s hero is the mega-rich Luke (Robert Diaz) who is left for dead by a trio of ruthless thugs (led by an appropriately over-the-top Kazuya Wright) who rape and murder his fiancée. Upon recovering he goes all Dark Knight-like, studying martial arts and wearing a ski mask while rescuing innocents during violent crimes.

Conflict arises when his new girlfriend (Margot Robbie), who happens to be a police detective, condemns the actions of the masked vigilante. Luke’s moral crisis fails to stop him as he finally finds the mob-connected thugs who ruined his life – but can his new love stop the blood-letting?

The movie is rarely slow going and the fight sequences are effective, but overall the pace is a little less than thrilling for a thriller.

The DVD has no special features.

 

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About Buzz

Buzz McClain reviews DVDs for Playboy magazine and is a former critic for Video Business magazine. But what he really wants to do is direct.