Spring Break
'Righteous' duo team up for mediocre performance
Despite De Niro and Pacino's other projects, 'Righteous Kill' does not awe like previous films
By: Ben Johnson
Issue date: 9/22/08 Section: Features
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are two actors who have not spent much time in the comedic genre. Even the few comedies De Niro has appeared in have used his stereotypical, hard-nosed image as a comedic ploy. As for Pacino, his list of gangster and "gritty drama" flicks is longer than probably any other actor in Hollywood. These two pairing up for another gritty-cop-crime-drama should be fairly impressive, and at least satisfyingly intense.
Turk (Robert De Niro) and Rooster (Al Pacino) are two hard-bitten New York City detectives. Sporting a voracious thirst for justice, Turk is the more zealous of the two while Rooster, is the cool, level-headed counterpart. When a rapist gets away with his crime due to a false testimony, Turk personally takes him down by framing the criminal with extra evidence.
"Righteous Kill" features everything expected from a New York City cop drama starring two of Hollywood's most heavy-handed actors. De Niro embodies his character comfortably, as does Pacino. The performances, however, are not noteworthy as they have inhabited similar roles before. The depicted killings are not excessively brutal, nor are they without a moderate dose of theatrical blood. Pacino's role as the straight man to De Niro's bad cop routine is worth noting in that both actors handle it very well.
In addition to being an urban police drama, the film operates as a mystery. The trail of clues leading from the beginning of the film to its twist and subsequent climax does an adequate job of keeping the audience fooled.
"Righteous Kill" falters not because it's terrible, but because it's not great. The plot is not strikingly original, but as such, "Righteous Kill" is little more than what it claims to be in its advertisements and is only a decent piece of entertainment. "Righteous Kill" cannot be completely condemned, but a team-up between actors as revered as De Niro and Pacino should be more impressive.
Turk (Robert De Niro) and Rooster (Al Pacino) are two hard-bitten New York City detectives. Sporting a voracious thirst for justice, Turk is the more zealous of the two while Rooster, is the cool, level-headed counterpart. When a rapist gets away with his crime due to a false testimony, Turk personally takes him down by framing the criminal with extra evidence.
"Righteous Kill" features everything expected from a New York City cop drama starring two of Hollywood's most heavy-handed actors. De Niro embodies his character comfortably, as does Pacino. The performances, however, are not noteworthy as they have inhabited similar roles before. The depicted killings are not excessively brutal, nor are they without a moderate dose of theatrical blood. Pacino's role as the straight man to De Niro's bad cop routine is worth noting in that both actors handle it very well.
In addition to being an urban police drama, the film operates as a mystery. The trail of clues leading from the beginning of the film to its twist and subsequent climax does an adequate job of keeping the audience fooled.
"Righteous Kill" falters not because it's terrible, but because it's not great. The plot is not strikingly original, but as such, "Righteous Kill" is little more than what it claims to be in its advertisements and is only a decent piece of entertainment. "Righteous Kill" cannot be completely condemned, but a team-up between actors as revered as De Niro and Pacino should be more impressive.
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