Looking for one final "pay day" before they retire, a criminal gang is hired to kidnap the child of a rival boss. What could go wrong?
Directed by Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver and director of Dying of the Light) and written by Edward Bunker (writer of Reservoir Dogs, Tango & Cash and The Longest Yard) Dog Eat Dog promises to be gritty, dark and uncomfortable viewing.
The narrative follows three cons as they rob and steal their way through life.
The ringleader of the gang is Troy, Nicolas Cage (Southern Fury, Dying of the Light, Kick Ass), who, when the opportunity arises, brings one last job to the table so that they have enough money to set themselves up with a “normal” life. However, the job is not their usual style and has been contracted out to them. They must kidnap the baby of a mobster.
The other two in the gang, Mad Dog, Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man Franchise, Wild at Heart, Born on the Fourth of July) and Diesel, Christopher Matthew Cook (The Walking Dead) realise alongside Troy that this job is more risky than anything they have ever done but the temptation to settle down outweighs their rational thinking.
Cinematography is interesting and in places, probably due to drug induced state of mind of the characters, makes the movie reminiscent of Fear and Loathing Las Vegas with some hallucinogenic moments.
Acting is respectable from all three main characters with Willem Dafoe standing out playing a startling role as “Mad Dog” who is psychotic, violent and unstable yet a strangely likeable character.
Overall this is a well put together movie with some predictable moments in the script yet some that will leave you in disbelief. If you like action crime movies this is worth watching.
