For fans of director David Cronenberg, A History of Violence (adapted from the graphic novel of the same name) proves to be another powerful, polarizing work; splitting the audience into those who love it and those who probably won't be able to stand it. For those who become instant fanatics, the fact that A History of Violence was overlooked so blatantly by all those award shows (Oscars and such) will enrage them to no end. Despite its dark humor and surreal elements, A History of Violence is far more probing in exposing the underbelly of mankind than any Crash (2005) could be. And it's far less over the top. Paul Haggis' Crash (Oscar winner for Best Picture) handles its social commentary with the subtlety of a sledge hammer, showing crudely how each character, no matter what ethnicity, can be both a humanitarian and an unbridled bigot. All the nuance that is missing from Haggis' melodrama is ever present in A History of Violence, although its message about humanity is quite different.

The plot itself is pretty bare bones. After an eerie Lynchian opening, we are introduced to a small town in Anywhere, USA. Life here is simple and carefree. Cronenberg takes the time to show us summertime baseball games, friends sharing a joint, spouses role-playing in the safety of their homes while the kids are away. There is safety and security in the routine of civilized life. That safety however is quickly disturbed when Tom Stall's diner is held up at gunpoint. In an instant, Tom (Viggo Mortensen) becomes a hero, as far as the newspapers are concerned. However, when disfigured mobster Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris) comes into town, he labels Tom a killer. And not just any killer, but a killer named Joey he knew back in Philly. So the question becomes: is Tom a hero or a killer? Or is Tom even himself when he is put into an extreme situation? Are we the people we are at moments of peace or at moments of war? At what point does the true nature of someone demonstrate itself to the world? These questions of identity and responsibility, the disjunction between civilized behavior and natural instincts, are what make A History of Violence so haunting and worthwhile. Cronenberg's ability to combine intimate family drama and moments of violence that will make you call out to Jesus and avert your gaze, is what makes A History of Violence so easily watchable. From Maria Bello as Tom's doubting wife Edie, to William Hurt's Oscar nominated performance as a mob boss slightly less comic than the baddies in Dick Tracy, the cast is pitch perfect. A History of Violence is both sensual and horrifying, a combination that Cronenberg does better than anyone else.

-Nikita Burdein