Screen legends Al Pacino and Robert Deniro investigate a murder they believe is the work of a serial killer in the thriller RIGHTEOUS KILL. Deniro is Turk and Pacino Rooster, two New York City detectives attempting to unravel the most recent case in a long line of murders that appear to be vigilante slayings. Rooster believes the killings may be coming from a fellow officer, but the evidence is circumstantial.
Pacino and Deniro have starred in two movies twice before, and shared screen time only once, in HEAT, so the anticipation of seeing these two together again was pretty high. Whether the material drags down these two acting heavyweights, or the two lift RIGHTEOUS KILL into something more than it should be, depends on whether you are a glasses half-empty or glasses half-full moviegoer. I believe the latter is true, making a mediocre thriller into passable slice of entertainment. The film’s narrative is off from the start, cutting back and forth between Turk’s video taped declaration, past murders and the current investigation. This storytelling device has been utilized several times, but often to greater, and much less convoluted consequence. Eventually the jumbled narrative takes a back to seat to Pacino and Deniro, both of whom are good, but underutilized in rather standard detective roles. The film plays as a fairly typical killer thriller, with a late plot development that should not be revealed, but in the same sense, doesn’t add much to the overall picture. It’s nice to see Deniro and Pacino together again, I only wish it had been in a film worth their and your time.
Grade: C+
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