In director Jon Avent's 2008 crime drama RIGHTEOUS KILL, two New York City police detectives--Turk (Robert De Niro) and Rooster (Al Pacino)--attempt to track down a serial killer who targets only vicious criminals. This enigmatic vigilante has earned the duo's respect, yet they are duty-bound to apprehend the criminal-hunting assailant, and in doing so they strain the bonds of their longtime partnership. Aiding Turk and Rooster are a fiery younger pair of detectives (Donnie Wahlberg and John Leguizamo) and investigator Karen Correlli (Carla Gugino), who are determined to see that justice is served.

The second face-to-face film pairing of De Niro and Pacino--the first being Michael Mann's gritty 1995 epic, HEAT--RIGHTEOUS KILL finds the revered veteran actors working within the confines of a police procedural. Ably supported by Gugino, Wahlberg, and Leguizamo, the iconic performers contribute relatively subdued turns, never fully engaging in their signature dramatic fireworks. Working from a script by Russell Gewirtz (INSIDE MAN), Avnet (who also directed Pacino in 88 MINUTES) guides the action through twists and turns while staying rooted in a fairly straightforward LAW & ORDER-like aesthetic. Although RIGHTEOUS KILL may be underwhelming for those expecting a De Niro/Pacino double tour de force, the movie is a fine addition to the cop thriller category.