Hollywood is full of stories about movies that find their audience years after underperforming at the box office.F. Gary Gray’sLaw Abiding Citizenwas one of those small thrillers that did not make a cultural impact despite having the star power ofJamie FoxxandGerard Butler. But the film’s rediscovery on streaming platforms in recent years has as much to do with itsthought-provoking themes about the justice systemas it does the entertainment value.
Back in 2009, Hollywood was positioning Butler as the next great action star thanks to his star-making turn inZack Snyder’s300. His subsequent roles in romantic comedies and high-concept action projects did little to further his momentum. By turning to a project that putsvigilante-themed movieson their head,Law Abiding Citizenoffers Butler a riveting performance as a character that toes the line between right and wrong.
What Is ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ About?
Following the tragic home invasion that ended with the brutal murders of his wife and daughter, engineer Clyde Shelton (Butler) feels let down by the courts when Philadelphia prosecutor Nick Rice (Foxx) offers a plea deal to the killer in exchange for giving up his accomplice. A decade passes when Clyde successfully gets his revenge against both attackers using lethal methods of torture. Though he surrenders to the crimes,Clyde turns the system against itself by playing a cat-and-mouse game with Rice.
Somehow, by sitting in a jail cell, Clyde systematically targets everyone associated with his family’s murder case using unpredictable methods such as a cell phone rigged with an explosive and suffocating a victim in a time-pressure box. Soon, Rice learns through the avenging father’s ex-CIA colleague (Michael Kelly) just how dangerous he was in executing virtually any target deemed impossible. The stakes only get raised when Clyde starts going after Rice’s colleagues, causing a city-wide panic. As he races against the clock before Clyde pulls off his biggest target against the Philadelphia mayor (Viola Davis), Rice begins to question if he made the right decision with that plea deal.
Butler’s role as an avenging father leans slightly closer to the uncontrollable mental state ofJon Bernthal’sThe Punisherthan the methodical approach ofCharles Bronson’s Paul Kersey in theDeath Wishfranchise. Clyde is not just out for blood.He wants to expose the hypocrisy of the criminal justice systemby how it offers more privilege to the accused than to innocent victims. This is where Butler’s talent for playing a truly disturbed individual shines through, as he’s constantly playing mind games with Foxx regarding the law. Butler lights up the screen when he stands on trial to convince the judge with legal precedent how he deserves bail, then turns the hearing upside down by mocking the judge’s gullibility. It’s a key moment that poses a question to the audience as to whether to root for Butler’s character or not.
The Power of ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ Is in the Gripping Performances of Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx
From the graphic violence on display with Clyde’s family to his effort to take the law into his hands,Law Abiding Citizenplays no differently than most revenge fantasy stories at first. However, the film takes an anti-vigilante approach along the lines ofPeter Hyams’The Star Chamberand theKevin BaconthrillerDeath Sentence. All three films expose the extremities of vigilante justice between the endless cycle of violence and the innocents who get caught in the crossfire. ThoughButler’s actions grow more antagonisticas Foxx’s family becomes threatened, the audience is constantly walking a fine line between sympathy and hostility towards him. Clyde is never depicted as a true villain because of his motivations, which allows the usually tough guy actor in Butler to give a truly ambiguous performance.
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Brian De Palma’s crime thriller also stars Robert De Niro, Sean Connery, and Andy Garcia.
Similarly, Foxx’s attorney role finds himself torn by Butler’s deeds and the failure of the system that let his family’s killers walk. The air of confidence that Foxx usually displays in his roles plays well for a highly ambitious lawyer whoinitially cares more about his conviction rate than getting real justice for people. As the level of violence elevates, so does his moral standing. For all his “do your job” efforts, Foxx’s Rice, as a family man himself, identifies with Clyde’s initial revenge plot against the killers he allowed to walk. But as Clyde assassinates others involved in the case, there’s a greater push for Rice to stoop to his dark and vicious level of revenge.
Though the film has a26% on Rotten Tomatoes, the moral dilemmas raised inLaw Abiding Citizenplay into the film’s surprise resurgence in recent years, thanks to itsrediscovery on Netflix, where it was in the Top 10 internationally in 2024. For all the delivery of the thrills, at its heart, it is a drama that makes the audience question what they would do if someone harmed their loved ones, which is far more compelling than the usual lone crusader seeking bloodthirsty justice.
Law Abiding Citizen
A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family’s killers free.
