It’s very difficult for thriller movies to actually be ‘thrilling’ these days. Maybe too many below par action films have smoothed the genre’s edge. Many recent efforts have failed in this very important test. Unfortunately The Next Three Days is the latest to decrease the power of this genre. Written and directed by Paul Haggis – who wrote the script for James Bond’s triumphant renewal in Casino Royale – his leaden pacing hampers an otherwise interesting sounding caper.
College professor John (Russell Crowe) lives with his wife Lara (Elizabeth Banks) and young son. All lead an idyllic life-style which suddenly changes when Lara is arrested. Charged with murdering her boss, she is sent to jail leaving behind a distraught family. Convinced of her innocence, John becomes obsessed with breaking her out of prison. With the help of former criminal Damon (Liam Neeson), John goes to extreme lengths to free his wife and escape to more hospitable climes before the law catches up with them.
The Next Three Days is a classic case of directorial and script-writing over-kill. Whilst having moments of genuine tension and a fine stoic lead in Crowe, it’s much less than the sum of its parts. The main problem is the poor establishment of plot and relationships. With barely time to know the characters and within minutes of the credits, the authorities converge on the family and arrest Lara. Hardly any of their home life is shown at this point or emotional interaction – the viewer is unfairly asked to immediately accept their plight without any chance of empathy being created.
Whilst one may eventually overlook this error, the increasingly outlandish situations John becomes involved in become preposterous. The sense of genuine believability Haggis obviously wants to convey is diluted with his long-winded direction failing to understand when a story should properly conclude. Yet for all this there is a good film within as certain sections successfully generate excitement.
Slow moving and unwieldy length, the editor’s scissors would have made a huge difference. The Next Three Days has moments, although a bit of a slog to reach a conclusion one could have predicted in the first reel.
Movie Review Rating 5 / 10
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
The Next Three Days released in Australia on Thursday 27 January 2011.
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