Published via Ecency

(source: tmdb.org)

Hollywood is always in search of a new gimmick that would bring life what otherwise would look like stale and overused premise. In case of High Crimes, 2002 film directed by Carl Franklin, it was an idea to have legal thriller plot set in military justice milieu, which is for various reasons less familiar to the average audience.

The film is based on the eponymous 1998 novel by Joseph Finder. Protagonist is Claire Kubik (played by Ashley Judd), successful and respected attorney from San Francisco Bay Area who enjoys happy life with her husband Tom (played by Jim Caviezel), a woodworker. Just when Kubiks plan to have children, their idyll is shattered when Tom gets arrested by FBI. Claire is shocked to learn that her husband’s real name is Ron Chapman and that he used be member of elite US Marine unit. He was on the run after being indicted for massacre of civilians he had allegedly committed during covert mission in El Salvador. Tom/Ron admits to Claire that he was lying to her for years, but he also explains that he hadn’t got any choice – evidence against has been manufactured in order to make him guilty and thus protect the real culprit, which is connected with influential General Bill Marks (played by Bruce Davison). Claire decides to provide legal defence to her husband, but soon sees that she lacks experience with military courts. Lt. Terence Embry (played by Adam Scott), young court-appointed defender, is also inexperienced so Claire seeks help from Charlie Grimes (played by Morgan Freeman), former military attorney who used to be at the top of his field before destroying his career with excessive drinking. With his assistance, Claire bravely goes to fight military establishment and soon afterwards has to deal with threats, harassment, physical assaults, disappearances of important witnesses and evidence. All that convinces Claire that someone is determined that the truth of what happened in El Salvador never gets revealed.

High Crimes had misfortune of being produced shortly before 9/11. During its premiere US military was, at least by American audience, seen as highly trusted institution beyond any criticism, and any film showing it and its members as murderers and corrupt criminals wasn’t likely to win any favour among critics and even less among general audience. But this isn’t the film’s only problem. While director Carl Franklin shows the talent he had shown in his celebrated low budget thriller One False Move, he can’t compensate for many shortcomings in the script by Yuri Selzer and Grace Cary Bickley. The are too many cliches, predictability and unconvincing details and the plot from the beginning to the end develops according to pattern seen in countless other Hollywood legal thrillers. Even “surprise” plot twist at the end could be predicted by almost all viewers. On the other hand, it is good to see Ashley Judd being again partnered with Morgan Freeman, which creates good dynamic, just as it did in Kiss the Girls. But, just like in that film, their partnership in High Crimes isn’t enough to make this formulaic thriller into anything more than merely watchable.

RATING: 4/10 (+)