The Cold Light Of Day

Year: 2012
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Cast: Henry Cavill, Sigourney Weaver, Bruce Willis, Veronica Echegui


Plot: Business consultant Will Shaw arrives in Spain to join his family on a sailing vacation. But when his family is kidnapped, he quickly learns that his father works with the CIA and his last assignment has now put them all in danger. Will has to run while figuring out how to rescue his family.


Review: This film has trouble written all over it. First the release got delayed for five months, then there's a total absence of marketing efforts for it. It makes one wonder just how bad this film could be. The good news is, it's not terrible.

Director Mabrouk El Mechri puts the audience in Will's shoes as we follow him from the beginning, each step he takes and as a result, we learn what he learns simultaneously. The action is not too shabby as we get a few good chase sequences, though you've probably seen them elsewhere. Mechri also deserves some credit for using unique camera angles in certain scenes, like shooting a scene upside down before slowly turning it back properly.

Henry Cavill, the new Superman, does a pretty good job as Will. After last year's Immortals, we all know he can certainly do action, but this time around he's being more like Will Smith in Enemy Of The State, as the clueless victim learning how to fight back while running. Cavill is certainly convincing here. Bruce Willis doesn't have a heck of a lot to do here as Will's dad, and he seems bored for the most part. Sigourney Weaver gets the villain role, and portrays her as a cool, unflinching baddie who doesn't blink as she guns people down. However, the way her character was written in the film's climax kinda ruins whatever stock she gained up to that point, which is a real pity.

As an action film, The Cold Light Of Day is pretty decent. I didn't find it boring for the most part. But this film isn't doing anything you haven't seen before. As good as Cavill is at keeping your attention on him from beginning till end, there isn't anything memorable to savour after you walk out of the theater. The occasional shaky camerawork and poor lighting in certain scenes also sticks out.

In the end, it's a very average action film, which just lacks a much needed edge to make it special. (3/5)