AT THE CINEMA

Righteous Kill (Millennium Films)

STARRING iconic heavyweights Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as two veteran New York homicide detectives, ‘Righteous Kill’ should be the movie event of the year, but it’s not!

Tedious and forgettable, those expecting another classic like Michael Mann’s 1995 crime opus ‘Heat’ will be sorely disappointed. Directed by Jon Avnet (‘Red Corner’, ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’) and written by Russell Gewirtz (‘Inside Man’), ‘Righteous Kill’ is a formulaic cop drama with no surprises.

The plot of this dull, contrived and totally underwhelming movie concerns two ageing coppers, Detective Turk (De Niro) and Detective Rooster (Pacino), on the trail of a vigilante serial killer who’s knocking off New York’s most notorious criminals.

As this bog standard whodunit crime thriller evolves it becomes clear that only a cop could be the murderer. Turk and Rooster are almost thankful that the city’s villains are being executed, making their job a lot easier, but with connections to most of the victims, they soon become prime suspects in the case.

It’s all a bit predictable and ‘Righteous Kill’ contains very little suspense or intrigue. Sure there’s a twist, but if you have been paying attention from the beginning you should have it worked out without putting too much strain on your mental powers.

The whole thing is very convoluted and there isn’t much of a script for De Niro or Pacino to get their teeth into. Don’t get me wrong, we get solid performances from both actors, but as they are carrying the weight

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