The movie stars very charismatic Brian Cox as an aged ex-soldier (Avery Ludlow) living with his old dog. In the beginning of the movie he has a conflict with a group of teenagers and soon after things start to escalate. Mr. Ludlow's pain is very tangible as he tries to seek for justice and truth: a superb performance by Brian Cox. Also Noel Fisher and Tom Sizemore give great performances as cold and untouched father and son. Storytelling is very straight-forward in a good way. This is a kind of movies you can't stop watching until the end credits: you have to see what happens as it is not obvious. The movie bears striking resemblance to Gran Torino or Harry Brown in the general set-up of the story. Interestingly all of them were made in 2008 - 2009.

I thought I was going to see another film of the same title. To tell you the truth I wish I had. The acting was unconvincing and awkward at times. Where as Gran Torino was fresh and riveting, I found this film boring and cumbersome.I don't gamble much but I was 100% sure the bad kid's father would live and at least one of his sons would die, at least the son who expressed he had a conscience for sure would die. I would have liked it better if the mom had gotten shot as she tried to diffuse the situation. Anything but the overly predictable outcome.I understand they had some problems in production hiring/ firing and it shows. The scene where the dog (imaginary or real who cares)comes to him when he was dying was pathetic.This was more of a Lifetime project with a little more violence and cursing. I can see why it didn't do so well and cannot (or don't want to) see how this film got a 7/10 rating. I'm not a hater and I feel the 4 I gave it was generous and only because I love dogs as well.

I was going along with this movie fine enough for awhile but when it gets to the point that old Avery gives this insane back story about his 2 sons... it completely fell apart. For one thing, why would someone tell the reporter he has two sons, not he HAD two sons who luridly left this planet? Second, why would this guy idiotically keep pushing, involving the innocent brother of the psychopathic kid (and father) with his own experience to show him how little it might take to endanger that boy's life? It makes no sense at all unless he's as sick as the bad guys! And then the fact that it winds up with him learning his lesson, "Two boys are dead. I couldn't let it go!" Yeah and you knew full well before just as you do now that this is what probably could happen!!! Blah... This story was just bull... At least Angela Bettis wasn't involved, but she's in the next one... Sad to see someone so righteous and talented having to take this kind of work!!! :(

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning Youths are increasingly painted as monsters in the media at the moment, here in the UK where responsibility seems to be being bandied around from group to group and person to person without anyone dealing out any firm hands or looking for answers to the problem. So this small town set thriller will be relevant in this respect, with lawless teens as the protagonists of the piece. In the plot summary, it is described how they 'senselessly' kill the lead character's dog and that perfectly sums up a lot of the 'reasons' why gangs of youths tend to kill today, from someone refusing one of them a cigarette to asking them to keep their noise down. It isn't a deep social thriller that tries to explore the motivations behind what makes them think and behave like this, but it does make it easier to relate to as a film. Something about the story keeps you engaged to the end, as the tale burns slowly like a piece of paper and keeps you holding on, eager to see how it develops and any possible twists and turns it might make. Brian Cox's lead performance is another huge driving factor, with his husky, low pitched voice and natural, burning presence giving the film an added layer of depth. Playing a reclusive, retiring character, as the story unfolds we learn about the events leading to his seclusiveness that add power to the story. We see a man who sees the futility of hate and vengeance and simply wants the boys to face responsibility for what they've done, totally at odds in the modern world of irresponsibility and instant gratification.There seems to be a subliminal fetish for 80s horror films going on, with Hellraiser's Ashley Lawrence and Freddy Kruegger himself Robert Englund among the supporting cast. But all eyes are on Cox, and as a thriller and comment on the 'senseless' brutality of modern youth, Red gets it just right. ****