A History of Violence

A History of Violence (2005): Many will tell you that history is written by the victors. I think the victors missed this one because the screenplay seems to have been written by a bunch of losers and that is what you will turn out to be if you watch this over-hyped ‘A’ list movie that was loved by most of the main stream critics. The movie stars Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall, a mild-mannered owner of a mild-mannered restaurant in a mild-mannered town. He becomes the local hero when he dispatches with great efficiency, two killers who invade his restaurant and threaten everyone with rape and pillage. The media descend on the town, his house and his restaurant for all those human interest story angles. It turns out, he is a crack shot and a Kung—fuifier as well, as he dismantled the two armed men with several moves Jackie Chan would be proud to call his own. Now this is a David Cronenberg movie so you will see many detailed graphic injuries and old Viggo tends to terminate people with lots of spillage throughout the film. Then the really bad guys from Philadelphia show up.

People in this movie just don’t behave like people do. Viggo may have a past where he was a crazy vicious murderer and the bad boys from Philly are looking for a little catch up in the injury department. However, we never get any idea of how or why he made the transition other than the local ‘family’ was out to get him. His loving wife becomes nauseous and irrational after learning she might have married under false pretenses. It was hard to tell if her character was overreacting or if the actress (Maria Bello) was just over acting. They have been together for over 15 years since their son is in high school so you would think she would have been used to his eccentricities by now. Their son is a shy, non-confrontational type who must have Viggo’s genes because he eventually flattens two bullies in a similar fashion to dear old dad’s methods. His preschool daughter is ugly enough to be played by a 35 year old midget in a fright wig and couldn’t have been related genetically to either parent.

There are many more holes in the movie’s logic (as well as in the cast) such as; he became a celebrity after his first two kills but when he dispatches the three bad boys from Philly on his front lawn, no one seems to take notice save for the sheriff. Then there is his brother (William Hurt) who also wants him dead. Old Viggo must have been a real charmer in his younger days which also begs the question, how did he become so square for so long if he was so bad earlier. After his brother’s goons fail to garrote Viggo on the first try at the brother’s home in Philly, Hurt starts kicking the wounded thug who failed to off Viggo rather than chase after the source of all his problems. He then shoots the thug in an angry rage that was so over the top it was the high point of the comedic portion of the movie. The movie ends with Viggo returning home (after offing just about everyone in Philly) where the family is eating dinner and one is given the idea that all will be well since his son hands him the platter of meat loaf when he sits down at the table and we get a fade to black. I might have passed out at this point but I think this is where the movie ended. The movie is rated R for: graphic violence, multiple exit wounds, buns de Viggo, gratuitous pubic hair, hot marital sex, mashed noses, smushed throats, and for the large amounts of blood spray from bullet wounds.