Walking Tall: Lone Justice

WALKING TALL: LONE JUSTICE (2007)

Directed by: Tripp Reed
Screenplay: Joe Haplin
Starring: Kevin Sorbo, Yvette Nipar & Andrew Stevens

The remake of Walking Tall starring The Rock was an entertaining, slick, rough and tumble action flick that made enough of a rumble to warrant two sequels, Lone Justice being the second. While The Rock jettisoned the franchise to pursue comedy flicks, or some such like, his shoes were ably filled by one time TV Hercules Kevin Sorbo. He returns as former sheriff Nick Prescott who is moving from the country to the city of Dallas to be with his squeeze, Kate and her daughter Sam (Nipar and Haley Ramm). No sooner as he arrived, and after inadvertently stopping the robbery of a gas station, Nick finds himself up to his neck in trouble and having to defend himself and his new family from the local drug kingpin. This all leads to an explosive showdown back out in the country where Nick can fight on his turf and use his own rules.



Baring little resemblance to the real life story of Walking Tall, in which a real country sheriff dished out the law with a piece of two-by-four, Lone Justice is nevertheless a solid, well made and highly entertaining action flick. Well acted, constructed and never out staying its welcome, Lone Justice gets down to business quick and rarely lets up. Great performances from Sorbo, bad guy Rodrigo De la Rosa and newcomer Haley Ramm with the supporting cast holding there own as well, the acting better than your usual direct-to-DVD action flick. The action is tight, frequent and requisitely brutal. A couple of shootouts here and there but mainly good old, bare bones fist fights with the finale jam packed with both.

On the downside the makers rely a bit too much on all this trendy shaky, zoom in, zoom out camerawork and over-the-top seizure inducing editing. It’s doesn’t ruin the flick and is mercifully played down in the second part of the film but does hamper things a little and is certainly not needed. Guys wake up, this kind of shooting and editing is not needed and just lessens a film rather than improving it. However, that’s really the only fault in what is a great action flick that doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t. Some might be disappointed by the lack of two-by-four action and the title could have lost the Walking Tall moniker but those looking for justice served with bone crunching efficiency should check out Lone Justice.