A History of Violence

Saw this little gem over the weekend. I wasn't sure about it, because movies that the critics think are "deep" are usually more like kiddie pools. I don't know if Violence was necessarily deep, but it was pretty entertaining. Viggo (he seems like a one name kind of guy) and William Hurt were excellent and easily parried Maria Bello's attempts to ruin the movie. Ed Harris was pretty cool too, but he basically was playing Ed Harris with a funny eye. Not a big stretch.

The story was enjoyable, the violence graphic but justified. Especially satisfying was the bully's comeuppance scene. The characters weren't always entirely convincing, but I like stories where a character taps previously undiscovered powers and basically lays waste around him. It reminds me of Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant Trilogy or Raymond Feist's Magician series. Braveheart would fall in the same category to a certain extent. You could even make the case for The Passion.

Anyway, good movie, not one that's going to teach you life's little lessons, but well done and enjoyable.