### BEWARE - MILD SPOILERS ###
I just finished watching an early screener copy of this film by Anghus Houvouras. It stars DJ Naylor as one of four cops who, following the killing of a guy in their department, go vigilante, and work their way up the criminal food chain of the city, taking out gangsters and lowlifes as necessary. After all, there's nothing that can't be solved by 20 Funerals.
The film has a slightly weak opening sequence where we see the cop killed, followed by an overly long credit sequence. It sets up the premise of the film okay, but interweaving the credits with a more tense, intimate scene for the undercover bust and eventual murder would have boosted the opening up a notch.
Luckily, once their pal is dead and buried, it soon picks up, thanks to some great acting by all four leads, with particular props going to DJ Naylor and Mark Mench. DJ effortlessly portrays the conflicted hero/anti-hero, torn between doing the right thing, and doing the right thing. Herein lies the film's real strength: what could have simple been entertaining pulp violence is supported by a tight script, good performances, and (most importantly) and plot and characters to care about, and that sustain our interest. Retribution for murdering a cop seems justified, and when Chase (Naylor) slams down a wad of evidence against each and every target we don't question the validity of their mission. But as one soon-to-be-victim pleads for his life, petrified with fear and asking for a second chance, for the sake of his wife and kids, the morality of their quest is suddenly in doubt. And far from ignoring such issues, the situation creates doubts within the team. We watch with avid interest as these issues drive some of the characters to empathise with their victims (breaking one of the main rules of their mission - "We don't let it get personal") and others to beyond rationality.
It is here that Mark Mench really shines, stealing the show from even the fantastic DJ Naylor, with an enthusiasm and depraved maniacism reminiscent of Dogma's Jason Lee. By his most fanatical scene, his Detective Keitel has undergone a complete character arc, either changed by what's happened or simple freed by their success to unleash his inner demons.
Inevitably, given the structure of the film, it struggles to find an ending to match the brilliance of what has come before, but the twist in the final moments satisfies none the less, and overall the movie works very well. Great visuals, a cool soundtrack, some killer lines, and some hilarious moments make for a highly entertaining film.
Well worth checking out when it hits DVD on June 7th 2005.
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