Righteous Kill

(USA, 2008, 100 minutes)

Two veteran NYPD detectives investigate a serial killer who seems to be targeting criminals who escaped justice, and one of them becomes the prime suspect. An intriguing premise for the first full-length meeting of two acting titans is thrown away by clumsy handling by a director unable to energize its stars, severe underscripting and obvious low production values.

An Overture Films/Millennium Films presentation/production, in association with Emmett/Furla Films and Grosvenor Park Media. Starring Robert de Niro, Al Pacino; Curtis Jackson, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Trilby Glover; with Brian Dennehy; and John Leguizamo. Directed by Jon Avnet; produced by Rob Cowan, Avi Lerner, Randall Emmett, Jon Avnet, Lati Grobman, Alexandra Milchan, Daniel M. Rosenberg; written by Russell Gewirtz; music by Edward Shearmur; director of photography (DuArt/Technicolor, widescreen), Denis Lenoir; production designer, Tracey Gallacher; costume designer, Debra McGuire; film editor, Paul Hirsch.