Righteous Kill

“Righteous Kill” sees acting legends Robert De Niro and Al Pacino come together again for this psychological thriller of a cop movie. Highly decorated NYPD detectives, nicknamed Turk (De Niro) and Rooster (Pacino) are nearing retirement but snap up the opportunity to be involved in the latest murder case. A hungry-for-justice vigilante begins to murder a series of criminals who have escaped the clutches of the judicial system, leaving behind poetry to explain why they have been murdered; one in particular links to an earlier case which both detectives worked on, throwing into question whether the man behind bars for the crime, is the right man at all.

There is nothing bad that can be said about De Niro or Pacino, they are cinematic legends and they have not by any means lost their touch. They manage to successfully combine the serious, aggressive, good cop/bad dichotomy with well timed witticisms that are sure to make you smile. Their chemistry is effortless and this is what makes these two so profound on screen and what places them amongst cinematic royalty. The supporting cast is well chosen and directed by John Avnet, note particularly the performance of John Leguizamo (“Romeo and Juliet”, “Moulin Rouge” and “Love in the time of Cholera”).

Even if cop films usually don’t float your boat, I recommend this. It is sophisticated, witty, engaging and superbly acted. If you are a fan of either De Niro or Pacino you will not be disappointed, this is a definite must see!

Rachael Pilson-Wood