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'A History of Violence' will leave you rattled

I didn't know quite what to make of David Cronenberg's A History of Violence right after seeing it. It's sometimes confounding and always more than a little unsettling.

Maybe that's why it's one of this year's most powerful films.

New Line Cinema 'A History of Violence' A The verdict: One of this year's most powerful films. Director: David Cronenberg Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes Run time: 96 minutes Release date: September 23, 2005 Rating: R for strong brutal violence, graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some drug use. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'A History of Violence'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Director Cronenberg has trafficked in unrelenting and/or offbeat cinema before, ranging from the horrific 1986 version of The Fly to the kinky, cold fetishism of Dead Ringers. Some have called A History of Violence one of his more conventional films, but for Cronenberg, that's not saying much.

While Violence may have a comprehensible plot without much oddball imagery, it's still pure Cronenberg in that not only did the movie grab my attention, it shook me until it left me rattled yet fascinated. It's one of the most striking looks at the effects of violence since Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.

However, those wanting to see a vigilante-style flick a la Death Wish or the cathartic release of a Dirty Harry movie are advised — no, urged — to stay away. A History of Violence has much more on its mind than an eye for an eye. It asks that age-old question: Is who we are defined by our nature or our nurture?

At first Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) evidences a comfortable nature in the nurturing environment of a small town. He's the type who would have said "Aw, shucks" in an older movie. He has a wife and two kids and is an all-around average guy — until the day he ruthlessly dispatches some would-be robbers in his diner.

Tom becomes a local hero, but a shadowy figure with a bad eye named Carl (Ed Harris) notices that Tom has killed the attackers so efficiently, there may be more to Tom than Tom cares to remember, even for himself.

"Why don't you ask Tom how come he's so good at killing people?" Carl asks Tom's disbelieving wife Edie (Maria Bello).

One of the keys to the success of this movie is Viggo Mortensen's great performance. Although this film couldn't be much more different than the Lord of the Rings trilogy, both Tom and Aragorn are reluctant fighters called back into battle by circumstances they did not seek out. The actor portrays this conflict extremely well.

Mortensen knows that the most powerful acting is in the eyes. Although Tom gives no obvious clues to his past, there is a haunted tinge to his expression that may reveal more than his recent trauma. Bello, too, is outstanding as the strong but bewildered wife who struggles to understand this never-before-seen side of her husband.

What's most unforgettable though, is how Cronenberg remains unblinking, not only at the brutal violence, but at its after-effects. A number of painful scenes play out in long takes, as the director refuses to direct our eyes away from the consequences.

Cronenberg daringly shifts gears in the final reels, taking the film into the blackest of black comedy. These scenes, which seem to play for intentional laughs, reveal the pulpy origins of the story, taken from a graphic novel. I'm not sure these scenes work, but I'm even less sure they don't.

Such uncertainty might have sunk a lesser film, but it only enhances the power of A History of Violence. After all, many of the best dramas are the ones that don't provide easy answers.