The brief description reads: "Action flick starring Paul Walker." How unfortunate: another superficial slew of blood and guts featuring one of Hollywood's many washed-up, untalented actors. Who would ever suspect that Wayne Kramer's new film "Running Scared" could not only provide an intricate, engaging plotline, but also impress with outstanding cinematography and showcase Paul Walker at his unanticipated best?
Joey Gazelle (played by Paul Walker) lives in a modest neighborhood with his loving wife Teresa (Vera Farmiga) and mischievous 10-year-old son Nicky (Alex Neuberger). On the side, he spends his time covering up the footsteps of his mobster counterparts.
As Joey innocently stashes dirty weapons previously used to murder cops in his basement, his Russian neighbor Ivan Yugorsky (John Noble) manufactures crystal meth while habitually abusing his wife and stepson, Oleg (Cameron Bright). As different as their lovely circumstances may seem, the two families have one connection: Oleg is Nicky's best friend.
Proving once again that everyone in Texas probably shouldn't have a gun, Oleg catches Joey stashing a snub-nosed .38 that happens to be a critical piece of evidence linking his mob to a police shoot-out. In a whirlwind of fear, hatred and loyalty, Oleg shoots his stepfather in the shoulder and runs away, beginning one of the most horrifying chains of events ever to happen to a 10-year-old in the history of film.
As Joey sets out to recover Oleg and the gun to avoid being sentenced to life or killed by his mobster cronies, he sinks deeper into the web of lies and deceit surrounding the actions of his "friends" and grows closer to losing not only the weapon but perhaps his family and most definitely his life.
Starting from the moment the credits hit the screen, it's surprising that half the audience doesn't die from a collective heart attack. The amount of unrelenting stress present from scene to scene toes the line between over-the-top and edge-of-your-seat entertainment.
Director Wayne Kramer achieves indubitable success through his ingenious handling of cinematography. Unique scene transitions and manipulation of color, background and symbols transform what seems to be a superficial action film into an admirable piece of art.
The constant action in the film is often of a particularly disturbing sort. It is rare to see a film showcasing a 10-year-old wielding a weapon, but "Running Scared" drills the image home over and over as Oleg struggles for his life. Not only does the storyline include domestic violence and patricide, but it also brings in prostitution, child molestation and heroin.
The possibility for the action to be too overwhelming is great, but a combination of comic relief and reassuring instances of loyalty, family and friendship successfully lighten the mood to the point where it is not necessary to hide one's eyes.
There are prevailing references to John Wayne-esque westerns throughout the film, beginning with a tan, slightly blurred image in the first action sequence mimicking the rustic style typical of western flicks. Kramer carries this motif not only through the cinematography but also through the contrasting characters, creating a thought-provoking commentary on the romanticized cowboy figure.
Paul Walker provides an outstanding performance, and, let's just say, hasn't lost his looks. Best known for his role in "The Fast and the Furious" (2001) and other intellectual masterpieces like "Meet the Deedles" (1998) and "Into the Blue" (2005), Walker has not exactly exhibited great skill or depth an as actor.
But in "Running Scared," he has a highly developed chemistry with every actor with whom he comes into contact. From his passionate, sensitive connection to his wife to his emotional ties with Oleg, Walker's unyielding subtleties keep an otherwise disconnected cast intertwined.
Putting Haley Joel Osment to shame, 13-year-old Cameron Bright projects the entire mood and themes of the film through his outstanding performance as Oleg. In the dark underbelly of the mob scene, laced with pimps, prostitutes, thieves and murderers, Bright's steely stare cements the atmosphere of fear, death and destruction.
"Running Scared" delivers a whirlwind of intense action and suspense as promised. But surprisingly, it crosses the line into intellectual stimulation, a goal unattainable by most films of the genre and most definitely an accomplishment as yet unfulfilled by all of Paul Walker's previous cinematographic endeavors.
