RIGHTEOUS KILL

I am beyond thrilled that a cop thriller with both Robert de Niro AND Al Pacino is being filmed right now. The fact that this movie has written by Russell Gewirtz, who wrote the terrific INSIDE MAN, makes me extremely pleased. What irritates me is who is directing and producing it. Jon Avnet is the director. Jon Avnet. The director of UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL and RED CORNER. Two beyond movies that were beyond tedious. Oh yeah. He did FRIED GREEN TOMATOES. He's also the director of 88 MINUTES, which is also known as the Al Pacino thriller that's going straight to DVD. So let me be first to say that he doesn't strike me as the first director I'd expect to be directing an apparently R-rated cop thriller with De Niro and Pacino. Where is Michael Mann? Or Marty Scorsese? Or...I don't know...anyone...better? I will give the guy some credit...he did produce and director the underseen television show BOOMTOWN, which I highly urge that you check out NOW on dvd. It's an incredible television series that was too smart for the average viewer. But check this. The film is being produced, amongnst many people, by none other than Avi Lerner. Just look at this list of PURE shit he has unleased upon the multiplexes:


Alien vs. Alien (2007) (completed) (executive producer)
Blonde Ambition (2007) (completed) (executive producer)
Cleaner (2007) (producer)
Finding Rin Tin Tin (2007) (executive producer)
Mega Snake (2007) (TV) (executive producer)
When Nietzsche Wept (2007) (executive producer)
The Death and Life of Bobby Z (2007) (executive producer) ... aka Bobby Z (USA: DVD title) ... aka Kill Bobby Z (Germany: DVD box title) ... aka Let's Kill Bobby Z (Germany)
Until Death (2007) (executive producer)
88 Minutes (2007) (producer)
Gryphon (2007) (TV) (executive producer) ... aka Attack of the Gryphon (USA: DVD title)
Wicked Little Things (2006) (executive producer)
The Contract (2006/I) (producer)
Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep (2006) (TV) (executive producer)
The Wicker Man (2006) (producer)
The Black Dahlia (2006) (producer) ... aka Black Dahlia (Germany)
The Black Hole (2006) (TV) (producer)
Relative Strangers (2006) (executive producer)
Journey to the End of the Night (2006) (executive producer)
Mercenary for Justice (2006) (V) (executive producer) ... aka Mercenary (International: English title)
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006) (executive producer) ... aka Undisputed 2 (International: English title: DVD title)
End Game (2006) (executive producer)
The Cutter (2005) (executive producer)
The Mechanik (2005) (executive producer) ... aka The Russian Specialist (Canada: English title: DVD title) (USA: DVD title)
Before It Had a Name (2005) (executive producer) ... aka The Black Widow (USA: DVD title)
Edison (2005) (executive producer) ... aka Edison Force (USA: DVD title)
Today You Die (2005) (V) (executive producer)
Nature Unleashed: Fire (2004) (V) (executive producer)
Unstoppable (2004) (producer) ... aka 9 Lives (Europe: English title: DVD title)
Nature Unleashed: Avalanche (2004) (V) (executive producer)
Shadow of Fear (2004) (executive producer)
Direct Action (2004) (executive producer)
Alien Lockdown (2004) (TV) (executive producer) ... aka PredatorMan (International: English title)
Skeleton Man (2004) (TV) (executive producer)
Nature Unleashed: Earthquake (2004) (V) (executive producer)
Nature Unleashed: Tornado (2004) (V) (executive producer)
Nature Unleashed: Volcano (2004) (V) (executive producer)
Target of Opportunity (2004) (executive producer)
Detention (2003) (executive producer) ... aka Détention (Canada: French title)
Special Forces (2003) (V) (executive producer)
In Hell (2003) (executive producer) ... aka The S.H.U. (USA) ... aka The Savage
Den of Lions (2003) (executive producer)
Death Train (2003) (V) (executive producer)
Highwaymen (2003) (executive producer) ... aka Pourchassé (Canada: French title)

I mean...shiiiiiiiiiit. How horrible is that? If you really want to puke, just look at his IMDB page:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0503592/


Knowing this, all I can think is that Lerner paid Gewirtz a pile money for MAYBE a good script and the he paid De Niro and Pacino a SHIT TON of money so he could hang out with them. I guess it's great to be Avi Lerner.