From Danish director Niels Arden Oplev (2009’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and writer J.H. Wyman (Fringe), Dead Man Down is a gritty crime drama in which Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star as strangers hopelessly drawn to one another by their mutual desire for revenge. We begin with Farrell’s character Victor, who has infiltrated a crime empire run by a ruthless kingpin named Alphonse (Terrance Howard) with the intent of making Alphonse pay for ruining his life. Soon, however, he meets Beatrice (Rapace), and Victor slowly discovers that she has unresolved rage of her own.
Although Farrell is a pretty good dramatic actor, his forte is his dark humor. We get whiffs of that throughout the first act, but as the mystery unravels, Victor becomes much more stoic and brooding, as does his counterpart Beatrice. In the context of the film, their performances speak volumes, particularly in what isn’t said. Farrell’s portrayal of Victor is understated and reserved, while Rapace channels her endearing persona from Oplev’s original Dragon Tattoo.
