Release Date: January 19, 2001
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Robin Wright, Benicio Del Toro, Vanessa Redgrave, Mickey Rourke, Sam Shepard, Harry Dean Stanton, Helen Mirren
Directed by: Sean Penn
Written by: Jerzy Kromolowski, Mary Olson-Kromolowski
Distributed by: Warner Brothers
MPAA Rating: R (strong violence, language)
"There are such devils, Mrs. Larsen," says Detective Jerry Black (Jack Nicholson), describing the still-at-large murderer of her seven-year-old daughter, and moments later dedicating himself to a lifelong promise to bring the case to a close. The audience has hopes for his cause and the film -- they really want to believe in Jack -- but unfortunately, director Sean Penn's The Pledge is an unremarkable piece.
For instance, the plot about evil lurking in an everyday world is somewhat generic. Nicholson stars as a cop who is hours away from retirement, but he's so dedicated he leaves his own retirement party to investigate a recent homicide -- the rape and murder of seven-year-old Ginny Larsen. He has a few hunches, but -- of course -- the detectives still on the job refuse to hear him out. After all, why would the younger, less experienced detectives listen to one older and more accomplished? Certainly not to solve the case any faster. Instead, their stubbornness is present to allow the aging protagonist to hunt down the killer himself and end his long career on a high note.
The generic story is mostly to blame for the movie's mediocrity. Nearly the entire second act seems to register negative numbers on the excitement meter. The pace is slow and the time and setting of the story become vague, prohibiting the audience from attaching themselves to the story and giving a dull tone. Mrs. Larsen, the mother to whom Detective Black makes the title's pledge, has almost no screen time beyond that early scene. A larger role for her and her husband would have heightened the movie's drama and suspense, and in fact might have been an acceptable remedy for the overwhelming dullness.
However, Nicholson's acting, Penn's directing, and Hans Zimmer's score keep the audience from losing total interest. Nicholson is still the Man and certainly knows how to carry himself in the main role. Robin Wright Penn isn't the pretty girl most moviegoers are used to, but her character doubles as the concerned mother and Black's eventual love interest, so she's not entirely useless or dysfunctional.
One might think that Penn's lack of experience behind the helm is also to blame for this lackluster film, but it's not. Certain sequences and camera angles show he has taste. The serenity of the opening sequence is noteworthy.
Aiding director Penn's cause was the choice of composers -- Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt collaborated to create a fitting and effective score. It resembled Zimmer's most recent work (Mission: Impossible 2) and may be the best element of the film. Either way, without the extra effort from either Zimmer or Penn, the movie would've been completely worthless.
And, of course, once the viewer comes to cope with the sickening realization that the film he's watching is average in all respects, the only thing left for him to hope for is a satisfactory ending. Unfortunately the finale follows in the same manner as the rest of the film, and all the viewer is left to do is throw up his arms in discontent. Fans of Jack Nicholson may enjoy this star vehicle, but otherwise it's certainly not recommendable.
all contents © 2001 Andy Zientek