Movie Review: Rage (2014)

Directed by Paco Cabezas

Movie Review by Greg Goodsell

“This whole mess stinks,” weary Irish Mafia hit man Danny (Michael McGrady) sighs at one point. You're telling me. It was with deep dread that this DVD was submitted to ye humble reviewer, Nicolas Cage's distorted mug prominently featured on the cover. Sure, Cage previously turned in some good performances in halfway decent movies before such as Raising Arizona and Vampire's Kiss, but those days are long past. Cage last starred in the Christian rapture film Left Behind (2014), itself a remake of a 14-year-old film in the role Kirk Cameron played in! Let that sink in for a moment.

Yes, Cage's acting career has long gone down the porcelain convenience by this point, but just before he signed on to Left Behind he found time to star in the violent actioner Rage, released sans rating by the MPAA. Cage stars as Paul Maguire, a successful businessman with a highly shady past in the Irish mob. Fixing to host his lovely daughter Caitlin's Sweet Sixteen party at his former colleagues' dive bar (Max Ryan and McGrady), these plans are put on ice when after she's abducted in a break-in burglary and kidnapping at home with two male friends. After she turns up dead with a gunshot wound to the head, Cage vows vengeance on those responsible. Rallying his buddies, Cage begins the methodical thinning out of the local Russian Mafia. His friend the police commissioner (Danny Glover from the Lethal Weapon series – not looking so good these days) advises him to let justice take its course. There are some good car chase scenes and a shock, surprise ending – due to some shoddy detective work on the part of the police in this film! If anything, Cage's character was justified in taking the law into his own hands.

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Feel the "Rage" from Cage this August!!

IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

RAGE

Starring Nicolas Cage

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download on August 12, 2014

Los Angeles, July 21, 2014 – Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, brings you the heart-stopping thriller Rage, available on Blu-ray and DVD on August 12, 2014. Directed by Paco Cabezas (The Appeared, Neon Flesh) and written by Jim Agnew (Giallo, Game of Death) and Sean Keller (Giallo), the film stars Academy Award Winner Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas, The National Treasure films), Rachel Nichols (Star Trek, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Danny Glover (the Lethal Weapon films), and Aubrey Peeples (ABC’s “Nashville”).

Rage tells the story of Paul Maguire (Cage), a respectable businessman and loving father living a peaceful life, until his violent past comes back to haunt him. When his teenage daughter is taken from their home, Paul rounds up his old crew to help him find her by any means necessary. His search for justice leads Paul down a dark and bloody path of revenge, betrayal and long buried secrets.

Six Degrees of Cheese: Dads You Didn't Know Were Great

When we think about great dads in television and movies, we usually go for the obvious. Cliff Huxtible and Ozzie Nelson rank high on the small screen, and you might think about Mufasa or Mr. Mom at the movies. I started to think about the dads that don't get much credit. If I really wanted to pick a top movie dad, that would be easy. It would be David Bagby from Dear Zachary. That guy is hands down the best father and grandfather I've ever seen in a movie. That being said, I decided to leave the documentaries out and stick to fiction. Otherwise, it just wouldn't be fair.

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TV #6: CAMERON AND MITCHELL - MODERN FAMILY

These dads represent a variation of the American family that hasn't been shown on TV before. They can overdo it at times, but many first-time parents do. The thing about these two is that not only do they care about their daughter, but they adopted a kid who didn't have a home. That's always impressive.

Buy Modern Family on DVD


MOVIE #6: DANIEL HILLARD - MRS. DOUBTFIRE

Talk about going to extremes to be with your kids. After facing horrible treatment by the family court system (big shocker), Daniel Hillard doesn't know what to do. With the help of his brother, he creates an alter ego and is hired as his ex-wife's maid. Funny that she has a maid while he lives in a tiny barely furnished apartment. Good thing for those much needed alimony and child support payments. Yeeeeeah.

Buy Mrs. Doubtfire [Blu-ray] or DVD