Years before the characters played by Brad Pitt and Edward Norton decided they had enough of today’s world and became anarchists in "Fight Club," and long before shooting rampages from disgruntled and disillusioned workers and students became common news headlines, a little 1993 film came along and examined such violence.
It, of course, was "Falling Down," the story of a man known only as "D-Fens" (his license plate acronym), who violently reacts to anyone who’s shattered his American myth of the middle-aged white suburban male and/or presents an obstacle to him seeing his daughter on her birthday.
Directed by Joel Schumacher ("Batman Forever," "The Lost Boys") and written by Ebbe Roe Smith, this drama/dark comedy hybrid didn’t connect with audiences (domestic gross of around $18 million) who probably didn’t quite get what the film was really about.
While on the surface it might look like a white male vigilante flick that one would normally associated with the likes of Charles Bronson (since some of those he encounters and complains about are minorities), the film is more about a man becoming progressively unhinged and his stereotypical blaming of that on those who are different than him.
As perfectly played by Michael Douglas, the protagonist hasn’t set out for revenge, but instead lashes out at those whom he sees as obstacles not only on his way home, but also in his overall life. While Douglas ("A Perfect Murder," "Wall Street") has played a variety of roles throughout his three decade career, this has to be one of his best and certainly is far removed from the type of character most associate with him.
Of course this isn’t a one man show and the gifted actor Robert Duvall ("The Apostle," "A Civil Action") plays his nemesis, a cop named Prendergast who’s set to retire the very day Douglas’ character goes on his rampage. Although the two don’t meet until the very end, their crisscrossing stories -- with the parallels of their shattered domestic lives -- are nicely interwoven and hold the viewer’s interest throughout.
Although the film starts to border on the ridiculous as its third act rolls around (when Douglas blows up some construction gear with a rocket launcher), it ends in a realistic and thought-provoking fashion. While not everyone will find the film to their liking, there’s no denying that it features two standout performances and a compelling subject that’s as relevant today -- and perhaps even more so -- than when the film was originally released.
As far as the disc itself, the picture looks quite good although it’s a bit warm at times, while the audio (although only presented in Dolby Surround) sounds good and delivers what’s expected of it. Supplemental materials (a lone theatrical trailer), however, are somewhat lacking.