The movie “24 Hours to Live” is a thriller film that is based on the theme of redemption, morality, and second chances. Ethan Hawke plays an interesting role as a CIA assassin, Travis Conrad, who gives it all to his profession, including his family. Upon his death, Travis is supernaturally brought back in order to accomplish his last mission under a time constraint of twenty-four hours. Rushing on time he has to fight with his foes, with his past and with his doubt to whether he is able to be redeemed before his time will end. The movie is a mixture of overdrive action and soul-searching, setting a mood of suspense which has the audience in suspense.
The visual style and the sound in the film enhance the gritty feel of the film where austere places such as South Africa and Hong Kong are captured in high-definition gritty realism that adds the urgency of the narrative. The action scenes are brutal and highly choreographed and are seamlessly combined, using a mixture of gunfire, hand combat, and the explosive set pieces. There is more than meets the eye under its high-octane surface, the story undergoes the inner conflict of Travis who regrets his sins in the past and wishes to save innocent lives. The ethical grey nature of the characters and their actions is also very emotional as Travis himself has to face his mortality and attempts to reconcile with his past of violence.
Although quite strong, the film editing can be rushed, particularly, in the parts when the main characters are resolving the issues, which reduces the emotional impact to some extent. The story is based on common action cliches such as resurrection and time bombs, which result in some predictability in some of it. However, the subtle performance by Hawke and the emotional heart of the film make it more than just a fair thriller with the potentials of a good redemption even in the mess of the bloodshed, a movie that leaves an indelible mark on the subject of the strength of the second chances.
