summary
Gerard Butler's role in 'Against the Law' proves his versatility as an actor beyond the typical action hero role. The film's warehouse torture scene is one of the most disturbing in a highly violent film. The film subverts audience expectations by suggesting violence rather than explicitly depicting it, heightening the psychological impact.
WARNING: Contains graphic violence.
Having gained a new fanbase on Netflix since its release in 2009, Lawless Citizen was poorly received by critics as a thriller with a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is notable for containing perhaps the most shocking scene of Gerard Butler's entire career. Though best known as a heroic action star, Butler's filmography is surprisingly diverse. From horror films like Dracula 2000 to musicals like The Phantom of the Opera, he has never been afraid to push the envelope. But even in such a diverse resume, Lawless Citizen stands out.
The film is noteworthy for a number of reasons. Not only does it feature Butler playing a morally complex antagonist (a rare character for the Scottish-born actor), but it also has a much darker tone than much of his typical work. Butler plays Clyde Shelton, an ex-CIA operative who embarks on a brutal quest for revenge after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Ultimately, Shelton ends up embroiled in all aspects of the justice system in an increasingly elaborate attempt at retribution. But the film's most chilling moments involve the man who killed Shelton's family in the first place.
Related: Law Abiding Citizen's plot twist ending explained
Law Abiding Citizen is a 2009 action movie starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. Here we explain the movie's shocking ending.
The warehouse scene in 'Law-Abducting Citizen' is truly terrifying
Shelton's justice is brutally violent.
Even by the standards of highly violent films, the warehouse torture scene in Lawless is particularly shocking. Typical of Clyde Shelton's methods, the setup for this scene is extremely complicated. After framing Darby for the murder and assault of his wife and daughter and aiding in the painful death of his ex-partner, Shelton lures him away from a police chase. When Shelton reveals his true identity, Darby attempts to shoot him, but the gun injects a powerful neurotoxin into his bloodstream that immobilizes him but leaves all feeling intact. Shelton then takes him to the warehouse.
It's at this moment that the true horror of the scene begins. While Darby is completely paralyzed, Shelton describes in horrifying detail everything that is about to happen to him, from how he plans to remove his eyelids with a scalpel to injecting him with adrenaline to keep him conscious throughout the procedure. He then shows Darby a full-length mirror suspended above a mock operating table so he can see everything that is about to happen to him. The scene ends with Shelton beginning his torture, slashing one of Darby's legs with an angle grinder while recording the surgery.
'Law-Abducting Citizen' is one of Gerard Butler's most violent films
The film consistently depicts violence in a bold manner.
Even without the warehouse scene, Law Abiding Citizen would still be one of Gerard Butler's most violent films. The story is an exploration of vigilante justice, examining the terrifying limits people are pushed to when they lose faith in a flawed and corrupt system. Not only does the film open with a harrowing, violent home invasion that serves as the catalyst for the story, Shelton consistently enacts violent retribution against those he feels have wronged him and his family.
Unlike Butler's other violent films, such as “300,” which was adapted from a graphic novel, the somber, nihilistic tone of “Law Abiding Citizen” gives its content a disturbing edge.
Some of the film's most notable scenes include Shelton murdering a fellow inmate with a T-bone steak, and a series of shocking explosions that highlight Shelton's expertise as an engineer. Unlike Butler's other violent films, such as 300, which was adapted from a graphic novel, Law Abiding Citizen's brooding, nihilistic tone gives it a disturbing edge. As a result, it's perhaps not surprising that the film cut several scenes to avoid an NC-17 rating; many of which were restored in the director's cut (via Movie-Censorship).
It has been argued by both critics at the time and audiences since that the violence shown against law-abiding citizens was unnecessarily excessive. A possible justification for the brutal content is that it reinforces the film's message about dramatic situations that drive people to incredibly dark places. However, while the film's brutality is certainly a controversial topic, it is surprisingly unrelated to the impact of the warehouse scene.
Review of relevant law-abiding citizens
Law Abiding Citizen is a satisfying (and occasionally funny) revenge movie that unfortunately loses its way in the final 20 minutes.
The warehouse scene subverts audience expectations
The connotations of violence are much stronger
Before the warehouse scene even begins, Lawless Citizen has already featured some disturbingly violent material, including the home invasion scene that opens the story, as well as the botched execution of Rupert Ames, who was sentenced to death for perjury by Darby. From the start, it's clear that Lawless Citizen isn't afraid to pull punches, which makes the fact that Darby's torture is barely shown all the more distressing.
Instead of indulging in graphic torture scenes for maximum impact, “Lawbreaker” relies on the power of implied violence. Shelton describes everything that happens to Darby in vivid detail so that the audience fully understands what is involved. The tension rises when he describes all the preparations he made, such as the positioning of mirrors and having a video camera ready to record the entire scene. However, the film doesn't dwell too much on the details of the torture, except for a brief shot of Shelton slicing Darby's leg.
Considering how gory the film already is, the fact that there is so little violence is a bold and effective subversion of audience expectations.
By not showing the horrific events that take place in the warehouse, The Rule of Law leaves it up to the viewer's imagination. While scenes of violence and gore are unpleasant, it can be argued that using the power of suggestion is more psychologically effective. This is a common technique in horror films, and it explains why the warehouse scene is so memorable even years after its release. Given that The Rule of Law was already brutal prior to this scene, the lack of violence is a bold and effective subversion of audience expectations.
Law-abiding citizens have failed to impress critics despite the violence
This movie had a lot of problems
Law Abiding Citizen stylistically exposes problems within the justice system, asking bold questions about when or if violence is justified. But while these are intriguing aspects of the film, other production issues obscure its message. Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus calls the film “unflinchingly absurd,” with Law Abiding Citizen plagued by below-average acting and an unreasonable storyline. This assessment is reflected in the film's disappointing 26% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Thanks to its themes and approach to disturbing scenes, like the torture scene in the warehouse, Law Abiding Citizen has the opportunity to ask interesting questions of its audience. But questionable execution elsewhere undermines the potential power of those scenes. Still, the film is a notable entry in Gerard Butler's career, and it's easy to see why audiences will rediscover it in 2024.
Source: Movie-Censorship, Rotten Tomatoes
law abiding citizen
3.0
Director: F. Gary Gray
Release date: October 16, 2009
Running time: 109 minutes
