Al Pacino and Robert De Niro team up in RIGHTEOUS KILL, an average cop thriller. It really is sad to write that. Their marquee names at the top make it worth seeing for them, but it's a B-grade picture. If it starred the other two cops who are paired up together in this film (John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg) then you'd really know the level of B picture that it is. No offense to those guys, but we should expect better from Pacino and De Niro. The problem is over the years has been both men succumbing to pictures that are weaker than they are (THE RECRUIT, 15 MINUTES). The same is true here.
In HEAT, directed by the great Michael Mann, the greatest pair of actors of their generation finally are given a scene worthy of them. One is a crook, the other is the cop. RIGHTEOUS KILL has them on-screen constantly as partners but doesn't give either one much to say to the other that is worth noting. The plot is fairly straight forward. A bunch of cons have been allowed freedom despite their heinous crimes and someone has decided to exact vengeance upon them. The outset of the movie has De Niro admitting to the killings on camera, but the question throughout the film becomes whether or not he is telling the truth and why.
I admit to having an easy fondness for Carla Gugino, in both acting and looks. She does a fine job here in the little she is given. It must have been easy to sign on for the film when it stars such heavyweight actors. Her portrayal of Karen Sisco (the marshall formerly played by Jennifer Lopez in OUT OF SIGHT) in the ABC series of the same name from 5 years ago, is easily her best work. Shame on you for missing it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2141yvAwPo She holds her own with the two alpha males here, but again, there should have been a stronger movie built around the entire cast (which also includes Brian Dennehy and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson).
RIGHTEOUS KILL provides an amusing cop thriller that you may or may not figure out before the ending. Pacino and De Niro have both done better separately. It's definitely a let down when you consider how many other great scripts could have been used to pair the two. Recently there's talk of them actually re-teaming to do a comedy, but time will tell if that will eventually happen. If you want to see two of the best living actors in top form you'll have to go back to their work in the 70's. To be satisfied with them on-screen together, you'll definitely have to stick with HEAT.
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