DHP Review: Righteous Kill (The new De Niro/Pacino Movie)

dirtyharrysplace.com ^ | September 13th, 2008 | Dirty Harry

[Publius804]

DHP Review: Righteous Kill

by Dirty Harry

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino both starred in The Godfather II (1974) but were never on screen together (De Niro appeared as Pacino’s father in flashbacks); they also co-starred in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995), but only shared a couple of scenes. With Righteous Kill the screen icons finally, truly co-star as veteran NYPD homicide detectives and decades-long friends hunting a vigilante serial killer who might just be a cop — maybe even one of them.

No one likes to say so, but it’s just too true to ignore that De Niro and Pacino, who once epitomized what screen acting was all about, have slipped in recent years. Slipped far. Pacino has taken to REAdinGGG ALL HiZZzzz LI-Unssss LIKE this-uh and De Niro’s mistaken a grimace for acting. Going in, my hopes weren’t high, but surprisingly the movie wasn’t as bad as expected.

Faint praise? You bet.

Righteous Kill isn’t great. Far from it. For a thriller it completely lacks suspense and an overall story arc, but De Niro and Pacino play off each other well.

[Polarik]

Righteous Kill by Dirty Harry Robert De Niro and Al Pacino both starred in The Godfather II (1974) but were never on screen together (De Niro appeared as Pacino’s father in flashbacks); they also co-starred in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995), but only shared a couple of scenes

They shared a lot more than a "few scenes" in Heat.

[redstateconfidential]

Thanks but Deniro is a noxious leftie horses ass, some of his recent comments make Matt Damon down right near human inintelligence. As they say down in Ole Texas,..El Passo.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Gosh, they look like a couple of corpses:

[goodnesswins]

Someone needs to photoshop that and put McCain and Palin’s pictures on it....and then add an “S”....RIGHTEOUS Skill

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Someone needs to photoshop that and put McCain and Palin’s pictures on it....and then add an “S”....RIGHTEOUS Skill

I think you need to be very, VERY careful about mixing the word "kill" with presidential politics - otherwise you might just have the Secret Service knocking on your door.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

good idea.

[headstamp 2]

“They shared a lot more than a “few scenes” in Heat.”

Agreed. Also a damned good movie.

[Froggie]

This may be a better review of this movie .....
Saw it today ..... SAVE YOUR 12 DOLLARS!!
What a piece of lousy filmaking! Poorly acted by a couple of has-beens... Now, when is the next Chuck Norris movie coming out?

[antiRepublicrat]

Yep, watch that if you want a good De Niro/Pacino movie.

[Not A Snowbird]

I saw this film yesterday. It took awhile to get going; it was way too disjointed in the beginning.

Decent plot, but over 100 F-bombs? Okay, the street cops are going to talk that way, but EVERYBODY was talking that way. If there had been a meter maid in the film, she would have been dropping F-bombs as well.

The gratuitous sex was also unnecessary and added absolutely NOTHING to the story.

Save your money.

[sweet_diane]

"The gratuitous sex was also unnecessary and added absolutely NOTHING to the story."

I'm sure you are right. Yet how many male FReepers have now put the movie on their 'gotta see'?? LOL

[StrictTime]

I'd go see THIS version of the movie: