This is certainly not one for the kids, nor one for anyone with a weak stomach or people who say "oh dear" when they see people kissing on screen.

Viggo Mortensen, best known for his role as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, plays a small town cafe owner with a troubled past. When a couple of murderous troublemakers harass his waitress and hold up his cafe one evening he suddenly shows them what he is made of. The film pulls no punches and shows exactly what the troublemakers are made of.

His heroic deeds bring unwanted attention to him and soon some less than savoury characters call by refering to him as Joey. He rather convincingly states that he has no idea what they are on about but they refuse to let it pass.

As the film progresses, the undoubted hero starts to show his true colours and we learn of his less than heroic past. How far will he go to protect his family and will his family still want to know him when he comes back?

This is a very graphic film, and I'm not talking purely about violence, but the film uses even this to show the difference a day can make to a happy family. It asks some difficult questions and shows how a man can change. Undoubtably a good film cinematically, but not one I'd want to see again.

see also:
Blade 2, Insidious, Planet Terror, Dawn of the Dead

User rating: 3.9 (11 votes) [rate this movie] [official site]
photo © New Line Cinema.