"A Man Apart" is a typical revenge flick, nothing more, nothing less. There's nothing about it that sets it apart from movies like the stylish and gothic film, "The Crow" or the shocking and disturbing, "Irréversible." It's just your typical, ordinary, run-of-the-mill revenge flick. What saves the movie from totally sucking is the charisma of the leads and the directing, which did a good job of making an entertaining movie out of a humdrum, problematic script.
I gotta admit, I like revenge flicks. Even when they're not very good, I like watching someone get violently punished for doing something really evil. However, I'm particular with the revenge flicks I like. "I Spit on Your Grave," which is a cult classic, was a disappointment to me because it was so badly made. The notorious scene where the guy gets his member cut off was really good, though. Although the movie is known for it's gore, in that scene, the violence is hinted at rather than showcased, and it turns out to be the movie's highlight. Still, as a whole, I was disappointed. "Straw Dogs," the revenge flick starring Dustin Hoffman and directed by Sam Peckinpah, was also a disappointment, but for a different reason. In the movie, a mild-mannered guy goes after a group of guys who gang raped his wife. The thing is, during the rape scene, there are a couple of instances where the victim looked like she was enjoying it. That was just wrong, and it ruined the movie for me. But the two movies I mentioned above, "The Crow" and "Irréversible," are examples of great revenge flicks. But like I said, they're both a little different from the usual. There are plenty of great movies in the sub-genre, but those are two that stand out, probably because they're my favorites.
I really liked the actors in "A Man Apart." They're played by Vin Diesel and Larenz Tate, and they work well together. They play elite cops, and their characters genuinely care for each other. They're more like close brothers than just friends, and it's believable and effective. Vin Diesel has a great leading man presence, as he has proven in "The Fast and the Furious" and "XXX." Here, he plays another macho badass, but he's a macho badass with a heart. He's completely in love with his wife, as played by Jacqueline Obradors (she plays "Detective Rita Ortiz" in the TV show, "NYPD Blue"... she's very cute and likable in this movie), and he shows great charm. I'm not so sure if he's the best actor in the world, because I've yet to see him in a role where his acting chops are truly tested. That would be interesting to see. As for Larenz Tate, I haven't seen a lot of him since I saw him in "Menace II Society" (where he was terrifying as a character named "O-Dog"), but he's a good actor, he's very talented. Then there's Timothy Olyphant, who plays "Hollywood Jack Slayton." I remember him as "Todd Gaines," the drug dealer in "Go," and he was very good in that movie. In "A Man Apart," he plays a drug dealer again, and he's just as impressive. He isn't in the movie much, but the few minutes he's in are fun to watch. Finally, there's Geno Silva, who plays "Meno Lucero," the drug kingpin who goes to jail and gets replaced by a new, more ruthless kingpin. He's also very good.
"A Man Apart" was directed by F. Gary Gray, who also directed "Friday" (one of my favorite comedies of all-time),"Set It Off," and "The Negotiator" (a really good movie). I like his work as a director, and in this movie, he keeps things moving at a nice pace. His shots aren't over the top or flashy, but he knows how to tell a story, and he keeps things moving. Unfortunately, the script he's working from isn't worthy of his skills as a director. The script was written by Christian Gudegast (debut) & Paul Scheuring (wrote and directed a movie called "36K"... "A Man Apart" is only his second writing gig), and not only is the story full of holes, but it doesn't even make sense, especially the ending. For most of the movie, Vin Diesel and the gang are trying to catch a new drug kingpin named "Diablo," but when they finally show who "Diablo" is, it's convoluted, and a cop-out. Then there's the final scene, which makes no sense at all. It does nothing but leave you asking a whole lotta logical questions. The script is messy, and it wasn't well thought out. Still, the movie is entertaining. Weird, huh?
Although it's far from a perfect film, "A Man Apart" somehow manages to entertain, despite the many glaring flaws. The script is a disaster, but the talent of the actors and the director make it watchable, and enjoyable. Just don't think too much while you're watching it.
Scale of 1-10: 6