Dragged Across Concrete

Anchored by three brilliant central performances, Dragged Across Concrete is an interesting, unpredictable movie that presents two plots that feel like we've seen them before and then zigs when we expect it to zag. Mel Gibson is a singular voice in cinema, one who is willing to take pulp concepts and craft them into unflinchingly violent features.

S. Craig Zahler has brought us two previous movies, both strong. Dragged Across Concrete is his strongest. We follow two detectives in Vaughn and Gibson who are suspended without pay for using excessive force. Gibson is too hard on his luck and fed up to take it lying down. He uses a connection to get a tip on an out of town drug dealer to rob. Mel brings his reluctant partner (Vaughn) on for the job as well. Their acting is undoubtedly on par and I enjoy their on-screen chemistry even if it is in a no-nonsense dry type of style. The film opens with neither of those two men on screen, instead, we get a very enjoyable and sometimes humorous introduction to another important character, Tory (Johns). From there the film begins to unfold in Zahler's brand of a slow burn. Dragged is a film that takes it's time and creates an engrossing atmosphere and story. There are scenes of dialogue that go on for quite some time but I was always engrossed and very much enjoying the style of writing and banter on display in this script. Make no mistake about it though, this work does have some great action and edge of your seat moments. Executed above the current Hollywood bar for action set pieces in this type of film too. The last 50 minutes of the movie is downright amazing and so very tense. I really loved how everything wrapped up as well. Dragged Across Concrete does so many things correctly, which includes shocking you. One extended side character scene is so heinous and downright nasty, it almost felt as though Zahler was taking it a bit far just for the sake of it. However, this kind of disturbing approach to cinema is something I appreciate. Possibly this is a film for a certain kind of moviegoer, someone who appreciates the more hard-nosed tough aspects of the genre. But don't let that stop you from seeing it. Despite some predictability and maybe a touch of going too far just for the sake of it. I think that when the smoke clears on a stacked year of releases in 2019, we'll have one of the years best here. Maybe it falls short of being a masterpiece...but it does not fall short of being absolutely fantastic.

A sprawling, gritty action noir, gorgeously lit and morally challenging, where, as always, it is survival of whoever, beneath their mask, happens to be the fittest (and the smartest). Potentially one of the most engrossing 158-minute films you'll ever sit through.

What do I mean by a real Movie movie... well basically.. all I'm getting at, is that you have to sit, listen and listen some more. I feel the characters are well cast.. all with their own brief introduction of back stories to what brings each of them to the closing scene. Old school patience of movie attention is required here. You will not be spoon feed action scenes, big explosions sex scenes and dramatic shots. You will however see how the relative shooting of each scene to its characters, dialogue and actualities. So glad to see two veterans of the game (Mel Gibson & Vince Vaughn) star in a movie that tells a story fitting of their decree. This film is a great watch.