Save for a few, there have been very few movies that take place in the great crime wave that swept the USA during the Prohibition Era released in this decade. And close to none of them didn't take place in a setting that wasn't a big city; every Prohibition movie I know by far was characterized by big cities with gangsters swarming the place and shooting people. LAWLESS is a different take on this familiar subject; not only does it take place in the Southern parts far from the cities but it also presents a dark and brutal look at one of the most romanticized bits of history on film.
That's the strongest point of LAWLESS for me aside from its stellar cast. LAWLESS provides a new and dark look at a really popular subject for period pieces. It was a refreshing take on the whole gangster mythology since I doubt that the "Robin Hood" type gangsters were so perfect in the days even if they did do some charitable stuff. Here we have 1920's bootleggers who aren't opposed to respecting family values and swearing at nearly any given opportunity while delivering brutal punishment. Take note, the movie is a violent take on a familiar topic so if you're not used to that, prepare yourself.
The cast pulls off their roles very well; you can either hate or connect with each character throughout the movie's run time and it actually makes you care for their fates in the end. Shia finally shows off what talent he's got beyond acting alongside CGI robots; while I think he could do better in the future, this isn't a bad start for the young actor. The likes of Guy Pearce could've used a lot more screen time, though.
A problem I had with LAWLESS was its pacing. For some reason, the entire first half was slow and dragging. The exposition and introduction to the story's characters was done in a manner that took its time way too much. This could possibly alienate some viewers as it nearly did to me; I was almost convinced that the movie would end flatly since I couldn't get myself into the movie at first but the movie more than makes up for it by the second half all the way to the end. Things pick up pace and the story moves faster by the halfway point and this is where things begin to get interesting. The ending could've also used some working; for a dark tale, LAWLESS ends on a very clichéd note. I don't know if this was really based on real events and if some liberties were taken while writing the script but the movie ended predictably.
Definitely not the best period piece but one of the better ones made, LAWLESS does its job of telling a brutal tale set during the infamous Prohibition era. If you're the type of person who enjoyed PUBLIC ENEMIES and is waiting in anticipation for GANGSTER SQUAD (which unfortunately is going through a lot of reshoots thanks to the tragedy in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES shooting), you should definitely check out LAWLESS.
LAWLESS won't impress everyone, though; it's not a surefire hit like how something like GODFATHER was. Some may appreciate the new take on a familiar tale while others could be turned off by it. Some would be expecting an action piece while others will be satisfied with the drama involved but in the end, LAWLESS is a film that's definitely worth checking out no matter what your final verdict on it would be.
That's the strongest point of LAWLESS for me aside from its stellar cast. LAWLESS provides a new and dark look at a really popular subject for period pieces. It was a refreshing take on the whole gangster mythology since I doubt that the "Robin Hood" type gangsters were so perfect in the days even if they did do some charitable stuff. Here we have 1920's bootleggers who aren't opposed to respecting family values and swearing at nearly any given opportunity while delivering brutal punishment. Take note, the movie is a violent take on a familiar topic so if you're not used to that, prepare yourself.
The cast pulls off their roles very well; you can either hate or connect with each character throughout the movie's run time and it actually makes you care for their fates in the end. Shia finally shows off what talent he's got beyond acting alongside CGI robots; while I think he could do better in the future, this isn't a bad start for the young actor. The likes of Guy Pearce could've used a lot more screen time, though.
A problem I had with LAWLESS was its pacing. For some reason, the entire first half was slow and dragging. The exposition and introduction to the story's characters was done in a manner that took its time way too much. This could possibly alienate some viewers as it nearly did to me; I was almost convinced that the movie would end flatly since I couldn't get myself into the movie at first but the movie more than makes up for it by the second half all the way to the end. Things pick up pace and the story moves faster by the halfway point and this is where things begin to get interesting. The ending could've also used some working; for a dark tale, LAWLESS ends on a very clichéd note. I don't know if this was really based on real events and if some liberties were taken while writing the script but the movie ended predictably.
Definitely not the best period piece but one of the better ones made, LAWLESS does its job of telling a brutal tale set during the infamous Prohibition era. If you're the type of person who enjoyed PUBLIC ENEMIES and is waiting in anticipation for GANGSTER SQUAD (which unfortunately is going through a lot of reshoots thanks to the tragedy in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES shooting), you should definitely check out LAWLESS.
LAWLESS won't impress everyone, though; it's not a surefire hit like how something like GODFATHER was. Some may appreciate the new take on a familiar tale while others could be turned off by it. Some would be expecting an action piece while others will be satisfied with the drama involved but in the end, LAWLESS is a film that's definitely worth checking out no matter what your final verdict on it would be.