A Man Apart

 2/4

Starring: Vin Diesel, Larenz Tate, Timothy Olyphant, Geno Silva, Jacqueline Obradors

Rated R for Strong Graphic Violence, Language, Drug Content and Sexuality

People often forget, or overlook, the fact that beneath the muscles Vin Diesel is a really good actor.  His considerable screen presence overshadows his dramatic talents, but he can transform himself when given the opportunity.  Sure, he rose to fame as badass gearhead Dominic Turetto in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, but remember that this guy also played mobster Jackie DiNorscio in "Find Me Guilty" and a fratty stockbroker in "Boiler Room."  Not many actors could pull that off, but Vin Diesel can.

I mention this because I want to give credit where credit is due: Vin Diesel is the best thing in "A Man Apart."  In fact I could argue that he's the only good thing in it.  I don't mean that as a cheap shot.  The actor brings depth and complexity to a character that shows where this movie could go if the screenplay allowed him to do so.  Unfortunately, director F. Gary Gray seems to be uninterested in going to these places.  He sees this as a standard order revenge flick, which is fine (they fill a need like every other genre).  But Vin Diesel is just so good that it can no longer be appreciated on that level.

Sean Vedder (Diesel) is a street kid turned DEA agent.  He's made the bust of a lifetime: capturing the illusive drug lord Memo Lucero (Silva).  The man warns Sean that he has no idea what he Pandora's box he has opened, and his words prove prophetic.  After celebrating, he and his beloved wife Stacey (Obradors) are attacked in their home.  Sean survives, but Stacey does not.  Naturally, Sean is hellbent on revenge, but the imprisoned Memo didn't order the hit.  In Memo's place, a new leader has found foothold.  Known only as "Diablo," he can strike anywhere at any time and no amount of ruthlessness is beneath him.  Sean goes hunting.

To its credit, the film does broach some interesting themes.  For example, there are indications that Sean is not of sound mind after the death of his wife (not surprisingly) and that may make him a liability on the force.  What's interesting is how Vin Diesel plays up this aspect the character.  Usually in cases like this, it's simply an excuse for the lead character to become a Dirty Harry wannabe.  But Vin Diesel is too smart for that.  He acts with his eyes and little bits of physical behavior to show that Sean is on the verge of a breakdown.  It's a shame then that Gray doesn't capitalize on this.  Other issues that are raised include the line between revenge and justice and how far personal loyalty can go.  Sadly these too are forgotten about when it no longer becomes convenient.

When it comes to the performances, there's Vin Diesel and everyone else.  Good or bad, they can't escape from his shadow.  His presence is so overpowering that he takes up all the oxygen.  Larenz Tate is fine as his partner, but he's been better elsewhere.  Tate can act, but his talents were better served in "Menace II Society."  Geno Silva adds a decent amount of menace as the drug lord while Timothy Olyphant does his thing and steals his scenes as a whacked-out drug runner.

The question I want to know is what happened to F. Gary Grey?  His career started out with so much promise as an acclaimed music video director before turning to film. His debut feature was the comedy "Friday," which I have yet to see.  But then he came out with "Set it Off," one of the most underrated heist movies and "The Negotiator."  Then his films slid into mediocrity and he has become a director for hire.  Whether he was eaten up by the studio system or what, it's hard not to mourn a career that started out with such promise.  This movie does not stand with either of those films.  It's only sort of interesting with too little suspense or shocks.  And the film is so hard to see that it becomes aggravating.  There's gritty and desaturated images, but this goes into overkill.

"A Man Apart" is a bloody, violent action movie (it had to be trimmed to avoid an NC-17).  That's fine with me.  And it is centered around a strong lead performance.  But the script is dumb (the twist ending, in addition to being predictable, doesn't hold up to cursory examination), poorly paced, and not especially interesting.


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