听 User Rating 
Contains strong violence and very strong language
Following the terminally awful Death Sentence, director Neil Jordan takes a more considered bash at vigilantism in The Brave One. He resists orgiastic violence, instead giving Jodie Foster a chance to plumb the depths of Erica Bain, a career woman and bride-to-be whose easy sense of confidence is beaten out of her by a gang of thugs. When she buys a gun for peace of mind, it seems reasonable. Unfortunately, with each bullet she discharges, credibility takes a hit.
Erica's grudge against New York's criminal community feels justified after her fianc茅 (Naveen Andrews) dies in the brutal attack that puts her in hospital. Back at home, agoraphobia sets in and to Jordan's credit, he doesn't hurry past the anxiety attacks to get to the action. Foster is typically engrossing in conveying that step-by-step struggle to venture out of her front door but, soon after, getting caught in the crossfire of grocery store hold-up sets her trigger finger twitching.
"GALLING"
Initially, the gun serves Erica like an asthma inhaler - one pull and she can breathe again. But then, Erica becomes arrogant, believing that killing is okay, as long as you're "on the right side". And as she takes out the bad guys, she even spouts oneliners so glib they would make Bruce Willis shake his head. Sadly, Jordan doesn't have the guts to test his theory of 'right and wrong' to the fullest; allowing a child prostitute to survive the wounds mistakenly inflicted by Erica in one of her 'heated' moments. The girl even protects Erica's identity when jaded cop Sean (Terence Howard) picks up her trail. More galling than that, Erica develops an intimate friendship with Sean who, as the voice of reason, engages us before playing turncoat to facilitate a morally suspect and frankly very silly ending. Ironically, the makers of The Brave One appear to lack gumption.
The Brave One is out in the UK on 28th September 2007.
Refreshing to see a movie that you want to talk about afterwards.
