Man on a Ledge (2012) --- “If You’ve Done The Time, You May As Well Do The Crime.”

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Plot Summary

When disgraced ex-cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) steps onto the ledge of the highest floor of New York's famous Roosevelt Hotel, more than just his life is at risk; he threatens to bring the city to its knees. There are some very nervous people around with some very big secrets to hide. As police negotiator Lydia Spencer (Elizabeth Banks) tries to talk Nick in from the ledge, she begins to suspect that he has an ulterior motive behind his actions. (1)

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Review

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Hello, Movie Buffs! 

     Upon first glance, Man on a Ledge (2012) may appear to be your typical action flick about betrayal and revenge. Director Asger Leth (Severance) and writer Pablo F. Fenjves (Her Evil Twin) do a great job with this film.

     The premise of the story is simple. Nick Cassidy was a cop until he was accused of a robbery but he did not simply accept his fate. While imprisoned he formulates a plan to clear his name but the plan requires for him to steal the attention of New York. And what better way to capture their attention than to stand precariously on the edge of a building. But aside from the obvious man on a ledge story, there is a lot going on behind the main story that is slowly revealed as the film progresses. The film starts slow and the action scenes are limited but the suspense is at the forefront, the dialog moves the plot along nicely, and there is a nice twist at the end.

     The runtime for the film is over a 1hr and 30 minutes, and while that seems short for an action film there is really only so long a man can be on a ledge before it starts to become boring. However, the cinematography by Paul Cameron (POTC: Dead Men Tell No Tales & The Commuter) and music score by Henry Jackson (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) further enhance the film. The aerial shots of Madison Avenue, Roosevelt Hotel, and the bustling of New York life are beautiful and impressive. And the action gives the film an edge; it manages to be thrilling without all the blood and gore.

     The cast – Sam Worthington (Avatar; The Shack), Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect 3), Jamie Bell (TURN Washington’s Spies), Génesis Rodríguez (Big Hero 6), Edward Burns (27 Dresses), Anthony Mackie (Avengers Infinity War), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), Ed Harris (Westworld),  and Titus Welliver (The Town; Argo) – does an exceptionally good job in their respective roles, both the main roles and the supporting roles.

     Overall, Man on a Ledge (2012) is an entertaining action film by a relatively new director. The story had a great twist, the action was thrilling, and the cast was great. Of course, this film is not flawless but it does great in thrilling the audience and doesn’t reveal the story’s true intentions until the right time. I highly recommend this film to anyone who is looking for an engaging and entertaining action film with an interesting heist story that may give you vertigo.

"Today is the day when everything changes. One way or another."

- Nick

Final Vote

Worth Seeing: 7.2 of 10 stars

Worth Buying: 7.2 of 10 stars

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