Aug 09 2008
Seeking justice for man’s best friend
Opening in New York this weekend is a dark little thriller that’s basically slipping in under the radar, but if you like tales of vegeance mixed with a bit of moral inquiry, then this could be a movie for you.
The film’s called Red, and its title refers not only to the blood that eventually must flow, but also to the name of an aging dog owned by one Avery Ludlow (a magnificent Brian Cox). Ludlow’s an elderly gent, a reclusive small-town man with a heavy past (one that goes hand-in-hand with his pet, wouldn’t you know) and he merely wants to live a normal, peaceful life: fishing at the lake, selling goods to the locals at his general store, and just growing old with the one love he has left.
Fate, however, has other plans for Ludlow, and tosses him a cruel change in circumstances when a sunny afternoon of casting for trout is interrupted by three hot-headed teens. In a shocking instant Red is gone — swiftly, and without reason — and after that we follow Ludlow as he tries to find some form of justice for his loss. But the boys’ protective-to-a-fault parents (including a snarling Tom Sizemore and a scuzzy Robert Englund), an unconcerned legal system, and a heartless media status quo all stand in his way.
Red, which is based on a novel by horror writer Jack Ketchum and directed by Trygve Allister Diesen and Lucky McKee, could’ve merely been a grindhouse/exploitation version of Death Wish with Fido. Entertaining, maybe, but trashy nonetheless.
However what elevates this movie into something more moving, aside from a typically amazing performance by Cox (who played Hannibal Lecter before Anthony Hopkins in 1986’s Manhunter), is the sure, steady manner in which the tale is told. There is blood, yes, but in my opinion not a drop is spilled without justification, nor without consequence. There are some moments that seem to play like statistics lists regarding the lack of proper persecution of animal cruelty cases in this country, but for the most part the film doesn’t seem to shamelessly milk such travesties. Such tasteful restraint, in a way, makes the movie that much more powerful. It’s not easy going, but it is rewarding.
Magnolia Pictures is distributing the film, and as I said, right now it’s in New York at the Cinema Village theater. Showtimes can be found here. But check here to find out if any other playdates and locations might get added.
The trailer for Red can be seen here, but I kind of recommend against watching it because it reveals quite a bit. The film’s impact is much stronger if you just go into it knowing a minimal amount of detail, and let the solid performances and taut filmmaking draw you in. You won’t be disappointed.
