My opinion : I’ve decided to stop doing those long boring intros just because it isn’t always necessary and can sometimes spoil so here we go ; this film is brilliant. It plays out like a Tarantino, all from the gory violence (the gores unique makeup style being an interesting marker that we’re watching a Zahler film) to the darkly addicting characters and their personas despite how many flaws they probably have. Mel Gibson plays an old police investigator thats never really gotten out of the 90s, the problem being that he gets the job done with a lack of sensitivity and thus being overzealous (according to the media, being nice to a couple of no gooders is a bigger problem then actually getting the job done and restoring order but oh well), making him and his partner played by the ever so amazing Vince Vaughn, whose 20 years younger but as hard as nails just like him, get suspended from the force without pay. And because they both have to provide for their families, they must dwell deeper into the criminal underworld, bringing us along the ride of a two and a half hour long film that occasionaly bores us but consistently catches us up with energy, subtle humor, hard pounding action, jaw shattering performances and an overall, enjoyably spectacular ride that indeed, does not feel like we are being dragged across what the title suggests. Its interesting to me because I don’t feel like there are acts, nothing much happens and everything feels like its moving too slowly which will trouble some viewers and somewhat annoyed me in some scenes, honestly, the directlr could’ve done a better job at not turning some of the moments in the film into a painkiller. Thankfully that was only roughly twenty to thirty minutes of the film that felt like that in right before the middle and finishes just a little past that. One problem i’ve seen in this film is that Henry, who was barely even there anymore and it honestly did not feel like I cared for him as much as the two main boys, if only the director cut down some scenes that went on longer then intended and switched them with both Henry and his family, we would’ve been even more invested in the film. One last critique would be that .It would’ve been so much better to see more of Jennifer Carpenter in the story, like if she had a bigger role (SPOILERS AHEAD) like theres a hostage situation thing happening in the film and if she were said hostage, we’d be that more interested in her character. But if the director doesn’t do that then he should’ve just not added that character into the film and just go with whats happening. Across the movie, there are scenes that are outright brutal and for whom truly show how dark and twisted and cold the minds of criminals are. And although the middle of the film is fairly slow and a bore, the last thirty minutes are really cool and unique, making for pleasant viewing. I’ll give this a fair rating despite the numerous things I thought would’ve been much better if Zahler actually worked on it and even if its my second favorite film from him (first being brawl from cell block 99 and last Bone Tomahawk only because that one just wasn’t interesting) and honestly, was saved by the two leading actors work marvelously together. Finally, it took balls for making a film like this considering the modern progressive ideology of today in the western world. The opinions in this film are given and I feel its courageous of the director of doing what a director should do, which is to maybe even showcase his opinions, thoughts and feelings in and of the world and project it onto his films. I’ll give it a 8.2/10 honestly could’ve been a 9.0/10 or even lean in towards the Pulp Fiction type grades (9.3-9.9)