Review - Out Of The Furnace (2013)

At the Theater- "Out Of The Furnace" - Reminiscent of an old western story simply updated and transplanted into the economically fledgling Pennsylvania Rust Belt and Appalachian West Virginia, there's admittedly a lot to like here in this brooding, slow burn Drama/Thriller/Revenge tale- unfortunately, there's also an equal share of sequences and situations that never quite ring true, as the film's elaborate, ambitious narrative proves a bit too shallow and unwieldy for Director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart).  There are some fine performances therein, particularly from lead Christian Bale, and the film is effectively atmospheric- though it all amounts to a slightly disappointing case of unrealized potential and uneven execution

Christian Bale (The Machinist) stars as the hard-working and well-meaning steel mill worker, "Russell Baze", while Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone) co-stars as his seething, disillusioned Iraqi war vet younger brother, "Rodney Baze, Jr".  Although protective of his younger sibling, Russell isn't able to keep Rodney from mixing with undesirable elements in his ambitions of avoiding the futile, working stiff lifestyle and gravitating towards the big money alternative of underground bare-knuckle brawling. A few tragedies ensue and the the story finds Russell returning to his home town after several years in prison, wrestling with his soul at the crossroads of redemption and revenge.

Bale's performance here is comfortably amongst his finest, essentially powering the film throughout.  It's the only character of the narrative with significant depth.  I'm almost glad he's out of his Nolan/Batman commitments and I'm sure the highly sought-after actor will continue to put out diverse, first rate work.  Audiences will next see him reconnecting with Director David O. Russell (Three Kings, The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook) in late 2013's American Hustle.

The younger Affleck is fine as the troubled bulldog looking to bypass the straight-and-narrow grind, though I couldn't help but be distracted with how he (obviously) looks nothing like Bale.  I kept wishing there had been one snippet of dialogue explaining that they were from different mothers...

A grizzled and growling Woody Harrelson (Zombieland) provides the film's main antagonist as the brutal, backwoods drug dealer/underground fight promoter, "Harlan DeGroat".  It's a performance that elevates the underwritten role a shade over a stereotypical, token villain- he doesn't quite feel natural for the part but gives it his best (Viggo Mortensen was approached early on for the role, yet passed- I think he would have been better suited here). DeGroat's a character in desperate need of fleshing out, and while Harrelson's capable, he simply isn't given the adequate layers to make a lasting impression.

Willem Dafoe (White Sands) plays a slick loan shark with a soft spot for the two brothers- the character ultimately works to serve a purpose, though Dafoe's attire and overall look doesn't quite fit his surroundings.  He seems pulled from a 1970's gangster flick set in Chicago or New York.

A usually highly dependable Forest Whitaker (Panic Room) seems miscast as a gravel-voiced  Police Chief, "Wesley Barnes" - his 11th hour interaction is painfully trite, bad movie stuff.  Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness) is also in fine form as Russell's former love interest who moved on to marry Chief Barnes during his stretch in prison.

Sam Shephard (The Right Stuff) supplies some support as an Uncle to the two Baze brothers- it's disappointing that his character disappears for much of the film's final act.

Although one scene involving a tragic car wreck is deftly handled, the remainder of this film is emotionally idle.  There is an undeniable sense of impending doom, though it's remarkably devoid of tension when it matters most. The underground bare-knuckle brawls are presented in a somewhat antiquated fashion, while the movie's ending features one of the most unnecessary final shots I've seen in quite some time.

Out of the Furnace is a "collision course" film, with two major characters destined to tangle by film's end.  The climactic showdown is staged and pleasing enough- I enjoyed the stripped-down shootout and final confrontation immensely.  The film is logistically sound, for the most part, and is never boring. There's a wealth of darkly beautiful shots courtesy of Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi and fans of Eddie Vedder/Pearl Jam should be happy with the film's usage of the track, 'Release'. ( ***Of Note*** There's an excellent cover of Neil Young's 'Heart of Gold' (by Demarest) featured in this movie's final trailer that is sadly nowhere to be found in the film.)

Some may find this release to be reminiscent of the Patrick Swayze/Liam Neeson revenge actioner, Next Of Kin, though I believe ...Furnace succeeds in being more profound (if only marginally), considerably more visually dynamic while featuring a superior lead performance (not a knock against the late Swayze).  Overall, it's problems hint at a Director that simply bit off more than he could chew.  It's a movie that hints at greatness that unfortunately leaves a good deal to be desired.

7.5 out of 10

Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Forest Whitaker, Zoey Saldana, William Dafoe, Sam Shephard and Tom Bower
Run-Time: 116 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for strong violence, language and drug content