'Man on a Ledge' review

Director: Asger Leth; Screenwriter: Pablo F. Fenjves, Chris Gorak; Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, Ed Burns; Running time: 102 mins; Certificate: 12A


A solid concept and suitably vertiginous direction ensures that this thriller starring Sam Worthington and Elizabeth Banks is a mostly engrossing affair, although everything comes tumbling down in Humpty Dumpty-esque fashion during a shoddy dénouement that squanders much of the good work beforehand.

As far as film titles go, Man on a Ledge does what it says on the tin in a similar manner to Snakes on a Plane. The concept may not sound scintillating on paper, but the aforementioned man Nick (Worthington) is up to a great deal more than threatening to jump off the ledge of a hotel and create a splattered mess on the pavement below.

For it emerges, through a poorly conveyed flashback structure that abruptly and unsatisfactorily falls by the wayside, that Nick is a former cop who has broken out of prison after being convicted for... *adopts stern voice*... A Crime He Did Not Commit. But why has he specifically requested the unpopular police psychologist and negotiator Lydia (Banks) to deal with, and just what is he up to from up high?

There are plenty of hit-and-miss twists and revelations along the way, in addition to an interesting (and tad obvious) social commentary depiction of the media and public's obsession about encircling potentially messy personal scenarios like peckish vultures.

Worthington delivers a reasonably assured performance, but he occasionally tries too hard to physically convey Nick's emotional frailty at times - leading to occasional fits of unwarranted melodrama. Banks is a more consistent presence, with her character's straight-talking approach proving to be a pleasing foil to the protagonist's manic energy.

There is a resounding lack of electrifying dialogue between the pair though, meaning that their chemistry and exchanges are nothing more than functional. Still, their interaction is more palatable than the downright bizarre relationship between Nick's brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and his squeeze Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) in their subplot.

As for Ed Harris playing the movie's Big Bad - diamond dealer David Englander - the man delivers. He effortlessly conjures up this abrasive reptilian quality that makes you crave his crushing.

Sadly the final act is so chaotic and convoluted, squandering a couple of superb creative ideas in the process. In the quest for a knockout resolution, too much is visually and narratively fired at the screen in the hope that something sticks - as opposed to having a clear and focused dénouement. After the largely intriguing manner in which the story developed beforehand, it's disappointing to see the tension dissipate so quickly.

While less than 'ledgendary' (groan), this movie delivers enough entertainment and excitement to pass muster for an escapist trip to the cinema. Hopefully it will be a moderate box office success that will lead to a lower budget straight-to-DVD franchise, kicking off with the shrubbery-based perils of Man on a Hedge. (Isn't it annoying when something - whether it be a film or an article - totally derails into needless absurdity right at the end...)