The Brave One is a standard film of the genre we have seen many times before,like Death Wish,etc,but it still managed to thrill me,and to me that's all that's important. The film's main strength comes from Jodie Foster. We can see she's not the killing type,with each kill she becomes increasingly more paranoid,it's just eating her up inside each time she does it. It was different with Charles Bronson because he basically just went on a spree after awhile with no emotion. With Jodie it was personal,it was heartfelt and it's clear she does not enjoy what she is doing. Basically for a Revenge film to be effective,the revenge has to be worthwhile for the viewer,luckily The Brave One provides that in a big way. With each kill we feel delight,but also pain because of Jodie,we go through every emotion she does,and I give big time credit to Roderick and Bruce Taylor,for making an excellent screen play. We all like a good revenge story,it thrills the viewer while giving them satisfaction and taking out there frustrations. The Brave One isn't original by any means,but it's definitely one of the better revenge films to come out as of late,I really liked it.

Performances. Jodie Foster is a revelation as the lead. Her tortured yet sympathetic performance is the highlight of this movie. We follow her every move,from the time her fiancé is killed,to her traumatizing,we go through it all. I give big credit to Jodie Foster for pulling it off,she proved why she's one of Hollywood's most durable actresses. Terrence Howard is pretty good as the detective. He's caring and charismatic,I enjoyed his scenes with Foster. Nicky Katt did pretty well,I enjoyed his show. Rest of the cast do fine.

Bottom Line. The Brave One is an unoriginal yet great revenge tale,that will really get your heart pumping. Recommended

8/10

This was entertaining. Sure, one can't help but draw comparisons and think back to the most famous vigilante film of all time: "Death Wish," but this film stands on its own story. No, it's not "Death Wish," but it ain't far from it, storywise. It's different enough to keep us guessing what "Erica" will do next so, in that regard, it's good value for your entertainment dollar, particularly if you enjoy film noirs. This would be labeled a "neo noir" today.

I was a little skeptical about Jodie Foster playing a Charles Bronson-type shooter, but she pulled it off convincingly. The difference in "Erica Bain" and Bronson's "Paul Kersey" was minimal except she seemed to be more depressed over who she had become, once she started killing.

Foster, by the way, shows no signs of slowing down as an actress and this was a juicy role for her.

But don't be misled by this film's screenplay or by Hollywood standards of morality, as they have very little. The fact is, as shown in this film, this woman quickly turns into a killer, a murderer, if even if it was scumbags she was killing, it doesn't justify her actions and, deep inside, she knew it. (It sure is satisfying, though, in a real base sense!)

The ending a little UNsatisfying to a number of reviewers, both here and in national publications. That's all I will say on that, as I don't want to spoil anything for readers who haven't seen the movie. You make up your own mind what you think of it, and the message it conveys.

Suffice to say, if you're looking for an entertaining neo noir, one that serves up your thirst for vengeance a la "Death Wish," this is one to check out at your local rental store.

I would agree with those who say that Jodi Foster is the redeeming factor in this film. I remember how much fun it was to pull for Charles Bronson in those Death Wish things (the early one's; not the silly sequels). How can one not empathize with her character. The thing is that it's easy for Hollywood to appeal to our baser instincts. This does and it wouldn't sustain long term interest if it was just anyone portraying the central figure. Of course, there are factors to face, like "if you set foot on the street, is there routinely someone out there that is just waiting for you"? But the cheap thrills are more than compensated for by Foster's masterful acting style and her incredible demeanor. While it stretches the bounds of credibility, once I set that aside, I was able to enjoy the ride. It's certainly cathartic if nothing else.