Edison (film)

Last updated
Edison Force
Edisonn.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by David J. Burke
Written byDavid J. Burke
Produced by Boaz Davidson
Randall Emmett
George Furla
John Thompson
Starring Morgan Freeman
LL Cool J
Justin Timberlake
Kevin Spacey
Cinematography Francis Kenny
Edited byCasey O. Rohrs
Music by Machine Head
Tobias Enhus
H. Scott Salinas
Production
companies
Millennium Films
Emmett/Furla Films
VIP 3 Medienfonds
Ascendant Pictures
Rising Star (poster credit only)
Distributed by Millennium Films
Release dates
  • September 17, 2005 (2005-09-17)(Toronto International Film Festival)
  • July 18, 2006 (2006-07-18)(United States)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$25 million [1] [2]
Box office$4,143,414 [3]

Edison (also known as Edison Force in the United States) is a 2005 American thriller film written and directed by David J. Burke, and starring Morgan Freeman, LL Cool J, Justin Timberlake in his feature film debut, and Kevin Spacey.

Contents

Plot

In the town of Edison, a police pursuit by tactical unit F.R.A.T. (First Response Assault and Tactical) ends with a shootout, in which veteran detective Francis Lazerov kills a criminal by shooting him through the sleeve of a hostage. Later, Lazerov and his partner, rookie Raphael "Rafe" Deed, break into a house and steal money and cocaine from two dealers. After Lazerov hears one of the dealers say he's going to rat them out, Lazerov tells Deed to shoot them, but Deed cannot, and so Lazerov kills the dealer. He tells the surviving dealer, Isaiah Charles, to say that his partner attacked him with a knife, so he had to shoot him, covering up the cops' actions and sparing Charles' life.

At the trial, Deed testifies about the incident to match the story Lazerov made up. Reporter Joshua Pollack overhears Charles thanking the cops and tries to question them about it with no success. He tries to write a story about it, but his editor Moses Ashford tells him to just write the verdict since he doesn't have facts to back up his theory about the cops being corrupt. Ashford fires Pollack after Pollack calls him a fraud. Pollack shows his girlfriend Willow his article and she agrees with Ashford.

Meanwhile, Deed is troubled by the shootout and subsequent raid while with his girlfriend Maria. He goes out for his "inspection," a private club where cops from the F.R.A.T. unit drink and play with strippers. F.R.A.T. captain Brian Tilman is also there. Pollack arrives at Ashford's house and tells him he's right about the story and asks for help in finding out more; Ashford gives him some tips and tells him to "do the work." Pollack goes to interview Charles, who promises him he'll help if Pollack can give a message to his sick mother.

After further investigating and bringing his suspicions to district attorney Jack Reigert and investigator Levon Wallace, Pollack and his girlfriend are beaten near to death outside of a dance club where Deed happens to be dancing as well. After Deed rushes out to help them, he recognizes the assailants as two cops from his unit, one of which is Lazerov. Deed visits Pollack in the hospital and meets Ashford. After seeing one of Tilman's lackeys running out, having intended to kill Pollack, Deed tells Ashford he's not safe and to move him. Wallace sets him up at his family farm for his safety while he investigates the unit. Charles is murdered in prison, and Lazerov tells Deed that his problem is solved. Lazerov arrives at Wallace's farm to kill Pollack, who escapes on a bicycle after blowing up Lazerov's car. Wallace and Ashford find him at a payphone after going searching.

Tilman meets Lazerov in a parking garage to chew him out for going rogue, and they argue about how Edison used to need brute force but now it needs "finesse", which Lazerov does not have. At a bar, Pollack meets Deed to try and convince him to come forward because he can likely get immunity. Deed refuses, telling him the courts are corrupt, as well. At the F.R.A.T. office, Lazerov attacks Deed because of a Herald article about the attack outside the club, which ends with Tilman fatally shooting Lazerov. Afterward, Deed sneaks back in at night and finds proof of the unit's corruption for Pollack, which he gives him the next day as he's about to get married. He tells Pollack he wants to be married for "death benefits," implying he believes F.R.A.T. will have him killed and he wants Maria to be taken care of financially. Wallace shows Ashford the headquarters for "Better Edison," a money laundering corporation that Reigert is heavily involved in.

Pollack prepares electronic copies of his story and sends them off to Ashford to print in the Herald. He also mails paper copies to several major newspapers. Deed is dispatched to kill Pollack but saves his life after one of his colleagues attempts to finish the job. After being chased by F.R.A.T. to a construction site, Deed kills the members of the unit, including Tilman, who was holding Pollack hostage. Reigert arrives, and Ashford tells him he will release all the evidence of Reigert and Better Edison's involvement with F.R.A.T. and money laundering if he ever tries to run for office. Reigert quietly dissolves Better Edison, Pollack goes to live with Willow after she recovers, and Deed leaves law enforcement to live quietly with his pregnant wife, looking around to make sure he is safe.

Cast

Production

While the film was in production, some people speculated from the title of the film and the limited story details of corrupt officers that the film was based upon the New Jersey township of Edison, since the township's recent (as of that time) controversy involving its police force.[ citation needed ] Writer and film director David J. Burke claimed that the name "Edison" was derived from its common association with the inventor and business leader Thomas Edison, which led to thoughts of "electricity, power and industry." [4]

Release

The film was originally supposed to see a US release in the spring of 2005; however, due to its poor reviews from critics after its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, its release to cinemas in the US and most other countries was cancelled. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film, originally titled Edison, as Edison Force, direct–to–video on July 18, 2006. [5] The film was released in theaters in Netherlands on March 12, 2006.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes Edison has an approval rating of 13% based on reviews from eight critics. [6]

In September 2017, when a Twitter user asked his followers to "name one bad Kevin Spacey movie", Spacey himself responded and simply wrote Edison. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Hard to Kill</i> 1990 film by Bruce Malmuth

Hard to Kill is a 1990 American vigilante action-thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth, starring Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler and Frederick Coffin. Seagal's second film after Above the Law, he portrays Mason Storm, a detective who falls into a coma after being shot during a home invasion that killed his wife. Reawakening seven years later, Storm embarks on a journey to avenge the death of his wife, and expose the corruption of Senator Vernon Trent, the man who ordered the murder of his family. The film was released on February 9, 1990, and grossed $75 million worldwide.

<i>The Negotiator</i> 1998 American action thriller film by F. Gary Gray

The Negotiator is a 1998 American action thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray. It stars Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey as Chicago police lieutenants who are expert hostage negotiators. The film was released in the United States on July 29, 1998, receiving generally positive reviews from critics and grossing $88 million worldwide. The film is considered by many to be one of Jackson's most underrated films and one of F. Gary Gray’s best films.

<i>The Usual Suspects</i> 1995 film by Bryan Singer

The Usual Suspects is a 1995 crime thriller film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, and Kevin Spacey.

<i>The Corruptor</i> 1999 film by James Foley

The Corruptor is a 1999 American action film directed by James Foley. The film was written by Robert Pucci, and produced by Dan Halsted. The film stars Chow Yun-fat and Mark Wahlberg. The film was released in the United States on March 12, 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keyser Söze</span> Character in the 1995 film The Usual Suspects

Keyser Söze is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1995 film The Usual Suspects, written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. According to the main protagonist, petty con artist Roger "Verbal" Kint, Söze is a crime lord whose ruthlessness and influence have acquired a mythical status among police and criminals alike. Further events in the story make these accounts unreliable; in a twist ending, a police sketch identifies Kint and Söze as one and the same. The character was inspired by real-life murderer John List, and the spy thriller No Way Out, which features a shadowy KGB mole who may or may not actually exist.

<i>Infernal Affairs II</i> 2003 Hong Kong film

Infernal Affairs II is a 2003 Hong Kong crime-action film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. It is a prequel to the 2002 film Infernal Affairs. Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Edison Chen, Shawn Yue and Chapman To reprise their roles from the original film alongside new cast members Carina Lau, Francis Ng, Hu Jun and Roy Cheung. Neither Andy Lau nor Tony Leung, who played the central roles in the original, appear in this film as they are replaced by their younger versions portrayed by Chen and Yue respectively. The events of the film take place from 1991 to 1997. It was followed by Infernal Affairs III (2003), which is both a sequel and a semi-prequel to the original film.

<i>The Hard Goodbye</i>

"The Hard Goodbye" is the first story in the American Sin City Comics series. It was serialized, as "Sin City", in the comics anthology Dark Horse Presents by Dark Horse Comics and named "The Hard Goodbye" in the trade paperbacks. It was created by Frank Miller, and led to a metaseries that has been adapted into a movie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rampart scandal</span> Police corruption scandal that happened in Los Angeles, California, US

The Rampart scandal was a police corruption scandal which unfolded in Los Angeles, California, United States, during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The scandal concerned widespread criminal activity within the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) anti-gang unit of the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart Division. More than 70 police officers were initially implicated in various forms of misconduct, including unprovoked shootings and beatings, planting of false evidence, stealing and dealing narcotics, bank robbery, perjury and cover-ups thereof.

<i>An Innocent Man</i> (film) 1989 film by Peter Yates

An Innocent Man is a 1989 American crime drama thriller film directed by Peter Yates, and starring Tom Selleck. The film follows James Rainwood, an airline mechanic sent to prison when framed by crooked police officers.

Marv (<i>Sin City</i>) Fictional character from Sin City

Marvin "Marv" is a fictional character in the graphic novel series Sin City, created by Frank Miller. In the 2005 film adaptation and its 2014 sequel, he is played by Mickey Rourke. He first appears in The Hard Goodbye and follows with appearances in A Dame to Kill For, Just Another Saturday Night, and Silent Night. He makes a brief cameo in Blue Eyes.

The Roark family is a fictional dynasty from Frank Miller's graphic novel series Sin City.

<i>Internal Affairs</i> (film) 1990 American crime thriller film directed by Mike Figgis

Internal Affairs is a 1990 American crime thriller film directed by Mike Figgis, written by Henry Bean, and starring Richard Gere and Andy García.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stringer Bell</span> Character from The Wire

Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character in The Wire, played by Idris Elba. In the criminal world of early 2000s Baltimore, Bell serves as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second-in-command and assumes direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment. Bell is a terse and brooding leader, who shuns the flamboyance of the likes of Avon for ruthless pragmatism and legitimacy.

<i>A Force of One</i> 1979 film by Paul Aaron

A Force of One is a 1979 American martial arts action-thriller film directed by Paul Aaron and starring Chuck Norris, with Jennifer O'Neill, Ron O'Neal, Clu Gulager, and martial artist Bill Wallace in his film debut. Norris plays karate champion Matt Logan, who is hired to assist an anti-narcotics police unit, who are being targeted by a killer. The screenplay by Ernest Tidyman was based on a story co-written by martial artist Pat E. Johnson.

<i>The Viral Factor</i> 2012 Hong Kong film

The Viral Factor is a 2012 Hong Kong-Chinese action film directed by Dante Lam and starring Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse. The supporting cast includes Lin Peng, Michelle Bai, Andy On, Carl Ng, Liu Kai-chi and Elaine Jin, with action choreographed by Dante Lam and Chin Kar-lok. Production for the film started from March 2011 to July 2011, and was theatrically released on January 17, 2012.

<i>Turning Point 2</i> 2011 Hong Kong film

Turning Point 2 is a 2011 Hong Kong action crime thriller film directed by Herman Yau and starring Michael Tse in the title role of "Laughing Gor" and co-starring Francis Ng, Chapman To and Bosco Wong. The film is a distant sequel to the 2009 film Turning Point, a direct sequel to the 2011 TV series Lives of Omission and the third spin-off of The Academy franchise featuring Tse's character from E.U.

<i>Gen-Y Cops</i> 2000 Hong Kong film

Gen-Y Cops is a 2000 Hong Kong science fiction action film directed by Benny Chan. The film stars Edison Chen, Stephen Fung and Sam Lee. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film Gen-X Cops.

<i>Cop Car</i> (film) 2015 independent thriller film by Jon Watts

Cop Car is a 2015 American independent road-thriller film co-written and directed by Jon Watts and starring Kevin Bacon, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim, James Freedson-Jackson, and Hays Wellford. The film follows two young boys and juvenile delinquents who come across and hijack the abandoned police car of a corrupt sheriff. It premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was released in the United States on August 7, 2015 by Focus World. The film received mainly positive reviews from critics but was commercially unsuccessful, earning $143,658 on a $5 million budget.

<i>Killerman</i> 2019 action crime film by Malik Bader

Killerman is a 2019 American action crime film starring Liam Hemsworth, Emory Cohen, Diane Guerrero, Zlatko Buric, Suraj Sharma, and Nickola Shreli. It was theatrically released in the United States on August 30, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Stax (December 3, 2003). "Movie Stars, Dirty Cops Found in Edison". IGN. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ XSSIV (December 3, 2003). "'Edison' cast includes Freeman, Spacey and LL Cool J". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Edison Force". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  4. ↑ "The writing studio — The art of writing and making films — EDISON". Writing Studio. Archived from the original on August 25, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Edison Force (2005)". Amazon.com . Retrieved July 12, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Edison (Edison Force) (2005)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Kevin Spacey's Twitter (2017)". Twitter. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.