Juggernaut

Even if the ending falls something short of memorable, "Juggernaut" still holds attention as a strong, well-acted effort that effectively walks the line between dysfunctional family drama and revenge thriller.

DiMarco just can't sustain enough tension or drama to power the film through a plodding 105 minutes.

DiMarco's noir-inflected family drama is confident and mature, but less involving than it could be, because the filmmaker and his star make their anti-hero stubbornly unappealing.

Strong performances and atmosphere compensate for the cliched storyline.

Romantic misfires aside, Juggernaut operates as a slick little mystery fleshed out with some fine Canadian talent.

Every line reads as if it were still on the page; every characterization is one-dimensional and unbending. At 90 minutes, the stilted dialogue might feel like a deliberate, stylized choice; at nearly two hours, it's infuriating.

Juggernaut does not have the propulsive narrative force its title implies. You expect some sort of vigilante rumble like Walking Tall, but you get more of a morally ambiguous slow burn.