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"The Brave One" is a shockingly disappointing movie that on the surface seemed to have everything going for it. Even the posters featuring a gun wielding Jodie Foster looked good. So what went wrong with a vigilante genre movie directed by noted Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan ("The Crying Game" and "Interview with a Vampire") and starring the great Foster? "The Brave One" is sunk by a poor and illogical script compounded by sluggish pacing.

The set up is standard stuff. Radio personality Erica Bain (Foster and her fiance Dr. David Kirmani (Naveen Andrews from "Lost") are accosted while walking their dog in Central Park. David is murdered while Erica is almost beaten to death. Out of the hospital and in an understandable distraught frame of mind, Erica reacts by purchasing an illegal handgun and starts blowing away bad guys. Sound like a female version of Charles Bronson on "Death Wish." Not quite. That was a revenge movie.

"The Brave One" does not know what it is. Illogical script point: What were they thinking? Not only were Erica and David in violation of leash laws with a loose dog, what were they doing prowling Central Park after dark. Does not everyone know that is a huge no no? Are we to believe they are naive yuppies oblivious to real dangers. The movie seriously bogs down with Erica's monotone ramblings including nonsense about New York once being the safest big city in the world. Those ramblings go on and on throughout the movie.

Illogical script point: Once Erica begins packing heat. trouble now finds her everywhere. In a convenience store, Erica witnesses an abusive husband kill his wife and she shoots him dead. Three youths rob the subway car she is riding and bam bam bam. Erica saves a prostitute by shooting her pimp. Vigilante headlines erupt and NYPD detective Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard) is on the case.

Illogical script point: Erica actually visits the scene of her crime thus catching the eye of Mercer. They begin a weird relationship. He is obsessed with a criminal who killed his wife but he cannot prove it. Illogical script point: Erica takes it upon herself to waste the guy so Mercer figures out it is her. The conclusion is ambiguous. Is "The Brave One" a statement against guns and vigilantism. Foster being a liberal would suggest this. If so, it fails miserably.

Roderick Taylor and Bruce A. Taylor wrote the original story which Foster did not approve. The actress brought in Cynthia Mort to rewrite to her satisfaction so the star is responsible for the mess. "The Brave One" is a rare Jodie Foster miss and critics concurred with negative reviews. So did audiences as the movie only grossed $34 million domestically.

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