As far as thrillers go, everyone enjoys a great film that keeps them on the edge of their seats — or, in this case, the edge of a building.
“Man on a Ledge” introduces Nick Cassidy, played by Sam Worthington, an ex-cop and now-convicted felon who is wrongfully accused of stealing a $40 million diamond from David Englander, a Manhattan tycoon played by Ed Harris.
After having escaped from prison in the most grave of fashions, Cassidy checks in and climbs out to the ledge of the 21st story of the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, catching the eye of those on the ground below. After his father’s death and with seemingly nothing to lose, Cassidy puts his life on the edge, ready to end it all.
Cassidy asks police for a specific negotiator, Lydia Mercer, played by Elizabeth Banks. Mercer arrives to the scene with a hangover and her success rate that is spotty at best. However, she works her magic, trying to negotiate with Cassidy and bring him inside. Mercer eventually realizes this negotiation isn’t as straightforward as she initially anticipated and perceives that Cassidy may have other plans and an ulterior motive.
As he writes in his suicide note, he plans on dying the same way he came into this world — as an innocent man.
Director Asger Leth gives the audience no time to sit back and relax, immersing them into thrilling action straight out of the gate. The film jumps right into the plot, taking a few scenes to look back on Cassidy’s life and develop a somewhat confusing background story, which inevitably is clarified by the end of the film. With this immediate surge of action and thrill, the plot never lags and grabs each audience member’s attention as soon as the film starts rolling.
The excellent cinematography in “Man on a Ledge” is perhaps the film’s most intriguing attribute. Leth utilizes many techniques to develop the story and achieve great visual interest.
Views from the ledge overlooking Madison Avenue in New York City offer stunning views and give the audience a bird’s-eye perspective of all the action. From the negotiating to explosions to Cassidy running, the angles are fully utilized, giving this film the upper hand against others in the genre.
The acting is excellent, with a great cast and well-developed characters. Worthington and Banks do a remarkable job throughout, creating diverse and well-executed characters. The audience never once thinks about whether this is a movie but is pulled in so tightly to the storyline that it feels as if you’re sitting on the ledge with Cassidy.
As in so many action films, the details are the main weakness behind the effectiveness of the story. While “Man on a Ledge” is particularly focused on Cassidy, there are plenty of subplots put into motion. The audience is able to view all the Mission Impossible-style action, while police crews are left stumped as to why Cassidy is so needy for attention.
“Man on a Ledge” provides all the action, details and prompt execution a moviegoer could dream for, making it a great, action-packed thriller and not just a somewhat well-executed premise.
This film also has no shortage of twists, turns and surprises along the way. Many action movie plots can be typical and predictable, but this film never runs out of fuel. When the audience thinks they have finally come to a conclusion, they will be surprised all over again. The ability to change the course of action and surprise the audience several times as tension rises is another way that “Man on a Ledge” rises above some recent competition.
While many action films tend to be choppy and poorly constructed, “Man on a Ledge” has clean, crisp editing allowing for the brisk pacing to shine.
Although “Man on a Ledge” may not be the best film of the year, you certainly won’t leave the theater disappointed.
Grade: B+