SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: RIGHTEOUS KILL

"RIGHTEOUS KILL"
(2008) (Robert De Niro, Al Pacino) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Heavy	Extreme	*Moderate	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Mild	Extreme	Mild	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Minor	Heavy	Heavy	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Dramatic Thriller: As a detective operates as a serial killer offing criminals and low-lifes, other cops try to figure out who he is and stop him.

PLOT:

Turk (ROBERT DE NIRO) and Rooster (AL PACINO) are veteran detectives with the NYPD who are good at what they do. Yet, they are anything but clean, something their boss, Lt. Hingis (BRIAN DENNEHY), usually overlooks, although their roughing up of local drug kingpin Spider (CURTIS JACKSON) has forced him to send the two cops to therapy.

But even he isn't aware that the two framed an acquitted child rapist and murderer for another crime to make sure he spends the rest of his life in prison, or that Turk is having an affair with kinky department forensics specialist Karen Corelli (CARLA GUGINO).

When a serial killer starts offing various criminals and other low-lifes -- always accompanied by a written rhyming poem detailing that person's offenses -- the evidence starts to point toward a cop as the culprit. As fellow detectives Simon Perez (JOHN LEGUIZAMO) and Ted Riley (DONNIE WAHLBERG) join the case, they become convinced that Turk might be their man.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast or hard-hitting cop dramas/thrillers, they might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and brief drug use.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: In order to maintain the film's twist, the final character revelations are not revealed below.; ROBERT DE NIRO plays a veteran detective with the police department who we first see admitting to being the serial killer. Along with Rooster, he frames an acquitted criminal, uses strong profanity, drinks some, and is having an affair with Karen who likes her sex rough.
AL PACINO plays his long-time partner who went along with framing the acquitted criminal and tries to deflect allegations that Turk is the serial killer. He uses strong profanity and drinks some.
CARLA GUGINO plays a forensic specialist in the police department who likes having rough sex with Turk (and may or may not still be involved with Simon). She uses strong profanity and briefly smokes and drinks.
JOHN LEGUIZAMO plays a detective from another precinct who's also working the serial murder case and eventually comes to believe that Turk is the suspect. He uses strong profanity, briefly smokes, and drinks some.
DONNIE WAHLBERG plays his partner who equally becomes suspicious of the veteran cop. He uses strong profanity and drinks a little.
CURTIS JACKSON plays a local drug kingpin targeted by Turk and Rooster. He uses strong profanity and is seen killing someone in flashback.
BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.; AL PACINO plays his long-time partner who went along with framing the acquitted criminal and tries to deflect allegations that Turk is the serial killer. He uses strong profanity and drinks some.
CARLA GUGINO plays a forensic specialist in the police department who likes having rough sex with Turk (and may or may not still be involved with Simon). She uses strong profanity and briefly smokes and drinks.
JOHN LEGUIZAMO plays a detective from another precinct who's also working the serial murder case and eventually comes to believe that Turk is the suspect. He uses strong profanity, briefly smokes, and drinks some.
DONNIE WAHLBERG plays his partner who equally becomes suspicious of the veteran cop. He uses strong profanity and drinks a little.
CURTIS JACKSON plays a local drug kingpin targeted by Turk and Rooster. He uses strong profanity and is seen killing someone in flashback.
BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.; CARLA GUGINO plays a forensic specialist in the police department who likes having rough sex with Turk (and may or may not still be involved with Simon). She uses strong profanity and briefly smokes and drinks.
JOHN LEGUIZAMO plays a detective from another precinct who's also working the serial murder case and eventually comes to believe that Turk is the suspect. He uses strong profanity, briefly smokes, and drinks some.
DONNIE WAHLBERG plays his partner who equally becomes suspicious of the veteran cop. He uses strong profanity and drinks a little.
CURTIS JACKSON plays a local drug kingpin targeted by Turk and Rooster. He uses strong profanity and is seen killing someone in flashback.
BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.; JOHN LEGUIZAMO plays a detective from another precinct who's also working the serial murder case and eventually comes to believe that Turk is the suspect. He uses strong profanity, briefly smokes, and drinks some.
DONNIE WAHLBERG plays his partner who equally becomes suspicious of the veteran cop. He uses strong profanity and drinks a little.
CURTIS JACKSON plays a local drug kingpin targeted by Turk and Rooster. He uses strong profanity and is seen killing someone in flashback.
BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.; DONNIE WAHLBERG plays his partner who equally becomes suspicious of the veteran cop. He uses strong profanity and drinks a little.
CURTIS JACKSON plays a local drug kingpin targeted by Turk and Rooster. He uses strong profanity and is seen killing someone in flashback.
BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.; CURTIS JACKSON plays a local drug kingpin targeted by Turk and Rooster. He uses strong profanity and is seen killing someone in flashback.
BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.; BRIAN DENNEHY plays Turk and Rooster's gruff boss who's never happy with them, but occasionally lets their behavior slide. He uses strong profanity.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated dramatic thriller. Profanity consists of at least 112 "f" words, while many other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, as are partially seen sexual encounters (with movement and sounds) revolving around a woman who enjoys rough sex. Brief, nonsexual nudity (male bare butt) also occurs.

Violence consists of many people being shot to death, some of which has bloody results, while non-lethal contact also occurs, and there's some rough sexual role playing. Those murders and moments of potential peril might be unsettling and/or suspenseful to viewers, while various characters (cops and criminals) have bad attitudes. Some behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

Characters drink, a few smoke, and a minor one briefly snorts cocaine. Tense family material regarding a minor character and her murdered child is present.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there are varying amounts of handheld camerawork and other camera movement in the film.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: We hear that Spider is a dope dealer and murderer.
A female lawyer snorts some cocaine in a restroom and offers some to Turk.
About her coke habit, Turk tells a female lawyer, "Stop shoveling that sh*t up your nose." There's other talk about junkies, with Rooster saying the cartoon character Underdog spawned a generation of junkies since he was always taking pills from his ring when in trouble. Turk realizes that's true and refers to the character as a speed freak.
Ted and Simon have beer following a baseball game.
A criminal holds a drink, but is shot dead.
Rooster has a drink in a bar where others drink.
Turk states that his 25-year-old daughter has been sober for five years.
About Turk, Rooster states, "I know he runs around like a pit bull on crack."
Ted has a beer in a bar where others drink.
Rooster tells a distraught mother not to drink herself to death.
Rooster has wine with a meal.
Rooster and Turk have drinks.
Karen has a beer.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a dead girl on the floor with blood on her face and clothing (and hear that she was raped by her mom's boyfriend before he killed her).
Turk states he "has to take a leak" and we then see him standing at a urinal when a woman enters the men's room to snort some cocaine. She comments on men being lucky about how they urinate compared to women.
About Karen, Turk jokingly states, "She's got my sperm levels so low I gotta sit down to take a piss."
We see blood when Spider's henchman is repeatedly shot, while a lawyer who was hit in the crossfire has some blood from her mouth and Turk has some of her blood on his fingers after he touches her wound.
We see a flashback view of a dead guy with streaks of blood behind him on a wall.
A criminal holds a drink, but is shot dead (we see blood on his shirt from the bullets).
We see a flashback to a man being shot in the head, with blood spurting out.
We see a large scar on Turk's back while he's shirtless.
A man is shot several times, with some bloody results.
Karen is suddenly grabbed and we hear what sound like violent sexual sounds (making us thinking it's just more rough but consensual sex). However, we then see her lying in the bathroom with the shower curtain over part of her, and her leg and face/mouth are somewhat bloody.
Simon hits Turk on the head, drawing some blood, and the two have to be separated.
A man shoots another man, sending his body crashing through a window and then a long way to the pavement below (we see some blood on the victim's head).
We see a flashback to a pedophile priest being shot in the head, with bloody results. We then see quick flashback views of other shootings, some with bloody results.
We see some blood around the neck of a person who's been fatally shot.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: We see Turk admit, via video confession, that he's killed 14 criminals.
The various background criminals all have bad attitudes.
We see a dead girl on the floor with blood on her face and clothing (and hear that she was raped by her mom's boyfriend before he killed her).
Turk (with Rooster's knowledge) plants a gun in an acquitted criminal's place to frame and thus get him imprisoned for another crime he didn't commit.
We hear that Spider is a dope dealer and murderer.
Spider refers to his overweight henchman as "fat boy."
Spider (a black man) uses the term "nigger."
A rapist is acquitted of the crime and has a cocky attitude, thus prompting an exchange with Turk in the courtroom, with the detective having to be held back.
There's a comment about a guy who trolled gay bars looking to pick up "twinkies."
Turk and Simon don't like each other, especially with the latter accusing the former of being the serial killer.
About Karen working on the case, Simon (her ex) makes some sexual sounds and does some rhythmic body movement in a mocking fashion.
A comment is made that a pedophile priest was giving the children more than communion behind the altar.
The serial killer obviously has a bad attitude for taking the law into his own hands and killing various criminals and other low-lifes.
The mother of a child who was raped and murdered by the woman's boyfriend tearfully admits (years after the fact) that she lied on the stand about the murder.
We see some miscellaneous punks harassing a woman on a subway train.
Simon and Ted make a deal with Spider, offering him no police harassment if he helps prove that Turk is dirty.
Rooster jokes that Ted and Simon are watching Turk like a bunch of hawks, amending that to "gay hawks."
We see that a cop has set up another cop to take the fall for his actions.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling and/or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.
Turk (with Rooster's knowledge) plants a gun in an acquitted criminal's place to frame and thus get him imprisoned for another crime he didn't commit.
While Simon and Ted stake out a potential suspect, that man (an ex-cop) holds a gun on Simon in his parked car. After he gets in to talk to him, Ted holds his gun on that man.
After thinking she was followed home, Karen finds what appears to be the killer's next poetic note in her place. She grabs her gun and then readies it as she sees a person's shadow under her front door. Turk then comes in, she holds her gun on him, and he acts somewhat intimidating toward her.
Turk holds his gun on Spider, but Ted and Simon rush in and hold their guns on him.
A cop holds a gun on another cop. When he leaves, the second cop follows him, prompting the gun pointing again. A third cop then shows up and aims a gun at the bad cop, with a brief standoff.
To try to get another cop to shoot him, a bad cop fires several shots near the other. When that doesn't work, he states he's going to wound that other cop who then shoots him several times, fatally wounding him (we see some blood around his neck).

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details.
We see Turk and Rooster firing handguns and automatic weapons at targets at a firing range.
While Simon and Ted stake out out a potential suspect, that man (an ex-cop) holds a gun on Simon in his parked car. After he gets in to talk to him, Ted holds his gun on that man.
Karen readies her gun when she thinks someone is after her, and then briefly holds it on Turk when he enters her place.
Turk holds his gun on Spider, but Ted and Simon rush in and hold their guns on him.
A cop holds a gun on another cop. When he leaves, the second cop follows him, prompting the gun pointing again. A third cop then shows up and aims a gun at the bad cop, with a brief standoff.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Lost his f*cking mind," "F*ck them," "What the f*ck /were you looking for/do you two scumbags want?" "Lucky f*ck," "He's a little f*cking speed freak," "Get the f*ck down," "Shut the f*ck up, you little piece of sh*t," "A cluster-f*ck to end all cluster-f*cks," "You two f*cked up," "No f*cking kidding," "You gotta be f*cking kidding me," "M*therf*cker," "F*ck yeah," "F*ck 'em," "F*ck me" (nonsexual), "I don't need you f*cking it up," "F*ck you," "Absa-f*cking-lutely," "Don't f*ck around," "That is so f*cking funny," "F*cking maggot," "Total f*cking asshole," "So much f*cking bullsh*t," "Big f*cking deal," "You big f*cking grizzly bear," "F*ck that," "Get the f*ck out of here," "Worthless piece of sh*t," "Stop shoveling that sh*t up your nose," "Wizard sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "No sh*t," "I don't know sh*t," "It's bullsh*t," "D*ck-less little sh*t," "I don't give a sh*t," "You got sh*t," "Sure as sh*t," "You low-life piece of sh*t," "Such a crock of sh*t," "Whore," "She's got my sperm levels so low I gotta sit down to take a piss," "You can lick my balls anytime," "Officer needle-d*ck," "Put your balls in your pocket," "You thought my d*ck would be cut off, but you only blew it," "He's nuts," "Gotta take a leak," "You whiny bitch," "Damn shame," "Tell your girlfriend to grow a pair" (of testicles, said to a man about his male partner), "Fat boy," "Bitches," "Nigger" (said by a black man), "9 to 5" (company man), "Sucks," "What the hell /are you doing/is going on here?" "You little bitch," "One slippery son of a bitch," "Screw it up," "Twinkies" (gay men), "Nut" (testicle), "Damn straight," "Life sucks," "I know he runs around like a pit bull on crack," "Hard-asses" and "Where are you going" (followed by "To hell I suppose").
It's possible the film could inspire copycat style vigilantism.
Simon and Ted have tattoos.
About Karen working on the case, Simon (her ex) makes some sexual sounds and does some rhythmic body movement in a mocking fashion.
Simon gives "the finger" to Rooster.

JUMP SCENES: Karen is suddenly grabbed by a hand across her mouth and yanked away. This happens again later in the film.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): An extreme amount of suspenseful, ominous, and heavily-dramatic music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): Some songs had lyrics that we couldn't fully hear and/or understand, thus presenting the possibility of them potentially containing objectionable content.
We briefly hear a song lyric: "Sex you up."

PROFANITY: At least 112 "f" words (9 used with "mother," 2 used sexually as is the term "do"), 38 "s" words, 5 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck"), 11 asses (5 used with "hole"), 4 hells, 2 damns, 1 crap, 1 S.O.B., 2 uses of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "Jesus," "Jesus Christ," "Oh Christ" and "Oh my God."

SEX/NUDITY: We see some women in short and tight dresses dancing sexily for display in Spider's club, while other women there show varying amounts of cleavage.
Karen is suddenly grabbed by a hand across her mouth and yanked away, and we hear the sound of struggling. We then see her panties lying on the floor and Turk lying shirtless in bed, while we see her bare back. As she puts on her panties (nothing explicit seen), Karen states that it wasn't bad, with Turk asking what she was looking for, and she slightly complains that all he did was pull her hair (it turns out she's into rough sex).
A man grabs a hooker and pushes her into a car (but nothing sexual happens as the car leaves).
About Karen, Turk jokingly states, "She's got my sperm levels so low I gotta sit down to take a piss."
We see a young women in a very short dress, and when she isn't cooperative with the cops, Rooster tells her, "You can lick my balls anytime."
A lawyer with a coke habit goes undercover for the cops with a wire to try to catch Spider being a drug dealer. He senses something is up, grabs her by the throat and pushes her back against a wall, and starts to tear at her clothes, seemingly to rape her. Yet, he's only after her wire that he yanks off her body, although he drops some sexual innuendo by telling her it only hurts the first time.
We hear sexual sounds and Karen saying "harder" as we see a mostly obscured view of her rhythmically moving from rear entry sex (we see her upper body and copious cleavage), and then a very brief view of Turk moving behind her.
To goad her on, Rooster tells Karen about how rough Turk was with Spider, obviously arousing her. Rooster then playfully says, "You're a bad little girl."
There's a comment about a guy who trolled gay bars looking to pick up "twinkies."
A person states he wants to poke out another person's eyes with his "d*ck" (meant as a threat, not sexually).
We see a large scar on Turk's back while he's shirtless.
Turk playfully asks Karen, "You only f*ck cops?" She replies that she'll also "do" firemen and the occasional ex-con.
About Karen working on the case, Simon (her ex) makes some sexual sounds and does some rhythmic body movement in a mocking fashion.
We see the bare butt of a priest (and pedophile) when his pants are pulled down after he's shot. We next see the crime scene where that priest's bare butt is seen from the side and Karen comments that she's removing a note card from his rectum (placed there by the killer -- not seen).
A comment is made that a pedophile priest was giving the children more than communion behind the altar.
Rooster asks Karen whether she would do anything for Turk. After she says she would, Rooster says Turk wants her to have sex with him (Rooster), but then laughs at his joke.
We see Simon in bed, shirtless, on the phone, while we see a woman's bare back as she sleeps next to him.
Hearing some guys talking about cars and women, Rooster mockingly imitates one, saying that in one car one can "f*ck" two prostitutes in the backseat.
We see Simon shirtless.
We briefly hear a song lyric: "Sex you up."
We see Simon slap Karen on her clothed butt and she doesn't seem to mind.
Karen is suddenly grabbed and we hear what sound like violent sexual sounds (making us thinking it's just more rough but consensual sex). However, we then see her lying in the bathroom with the shower curtain over part of her, and her leg and face/mouth are somewhat bloody.
We see miscellaneous cleavage.
A faked poem is read and contains the double entendre line, "You thought my d*ck would be cut off, but you only blew it."

SMOKING: Karen and Simon each smoke once.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We see a dead girl on the floor with blood on her face and clothing (and hear that she was raped by her mom's boyfriend before he killed her). The mother is there and is obviously in shock/grief.
Turk states that his wife died when their now 25-year-old daughter was very young.
The mother of a child who was raped and murdered by the woman's boyfriend tearfully admits (years after the fact) that she lied on the stand about the murder.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Cops and others who take justice into their own hands.
Drug use.
The comment that most people respect the (police) badge, but everyone respects the gun.
About a child rapist being murdered, Rooster says that was a righteous act.

VIOLENCE: We see a dead girl on the floor with blood on her face and clothing (and hear that she was raped by her mom's boyfriend before he killed her).
Karen is suddenly grabbed by a hand across her mouth and yanked away, and we hear the sound of struggling. We then realize this is just rough sexual role playing on the part of Turk toward her.
A man grabs a hooker and pushes her into a car. We then see that man shot to death on the street (we don't see the killer).
We see a flashback to Spider shooting a man dead.
A lawyer with a coke habit goes undercover for the cops with a wire to try to catch Spider being a drug dealer. He senses something is up, grabs her by the throat and pushes her back against a wall, and starts to tear at her clothes, seemingly to rape her. Yet, he's only after her wire that he yanks off her body, although he drops some sexual innuendo by telling her it only hurts the first time. Turk and Rooster then rush in, guns drawn, while we see Spider's henchman in the background holding a gun. The cops spot him, he opens fire on them, and they riddle him with gunfire. We then see that the lawyer was hit in the crossfire and is somewhat bloody (but she lives). They then hold their guns on Spider while cuffing him, with Turk then repeatedly kicking him on the floor.
Two players collide in a baseball game, followed by confrontational contact between them, and then between many opposing players.
We see a flashback view of a dead guy with streaks of blood behind him on a wall.
A criminal holds a drink, but is shot dead (we see blood on his shirt from the bullets).
We see a flashback to a man being shot in the head, with blood spurting out.
A priest is shot and crashes out of the confessional to the floor.
We see a quick flashback of a man's wrist or hand being snapped, followed by a person being shot.
A man is shot several times, with some bloody results (while badly wounded, he lives and is later seen in the hospital).
Some shots are fired at Simon in his home, blowing out some windows (he isn't hit).
Karen is suddenly grabbed and we hear what sound like violent sexual sounds (making us thinking it's just more rough but consensual sex). However, we then see her lying in the bathroom with the shower curtain over part of her, and her leg and face/mouth are somewhat bloody.
Simon hits Turk on the head, drawing some blood, and the two have to be separated.
A man shoots another man, sending his body crashing through a window and then a long way to the pavement below (we see some blood on the victim's head).
We see a flashback to a pedophile priest being shot in the head, with bloody results. We then see quick flashback views of other shootings, some with bloody results.
A cop tries to shoot a lock open, but it doesn't work.
To try to get another cop to shoot him, a bad cop fires several shots near the other. When that doesn't work, he states he's going to wound that other cop who then shoots him several times, fatally wounding him (we see some blood around his neck).

Reviewed September 10, 2008 / Posted September 12, 2008

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