a history of violence

an overrated but fairly watchable action film. its been raved about as a portrait of americans obsession with violence and as a post 9/11, post iraq war critique of american policy; but any real connection between the film and its purported politics was far fetched. to compare perhaps another film trying the same thing – there is a huge difference of a mob man who finds a new life in suburbia; only to be discovered later by them; and the suburbia of the sensationalistic ‘bowling for columbine’ where michael moore revels in the images of violence the pervade the everyday lives of american citizens. all right though, great action sequences and acting. terrific and tense in the first half before his real identity is revealed; and after that a run of the mill but well made action film.