A ferocious Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx revenge thriller that fans never stopped raving about has just landed on a brand-new streaming platform in the UK and Ireland—and viewers are calling it one of Butler’s most explosive performances ever. Law Abiding Citizen (2009), the dark, ruthless, and emotionally charged film directed by F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton, The Fate of the Furious), has resurfaced on Netflix UK/Ireland as of December 2025, propelling it back into the Top 10 and sparking a wave of rediscovery. Long dismissed as “underrated,” it’s now being hailed by a new generation as “even more brutal than remembered,” with twists that still hit like a sledgehammer 16 years later.
Butler stars as Clyde Shelton, a mild-mannered family man turned vigilante mastermind after his wife and daughter are murdered in a home invasion. When the justice system—led by ambitious prosecutor Nick Rice (Foxx)—cuts a plea deal with one killer for testimony against the other, Shelton unleashes a meticulously planned campaign of revenge that exposes the system’s rot. From prison, he orchestrates murders with surgical precision, forcing Rice to confront his own moral compromises. “I’m gonna pull the whole thing down,” Shelton vows, turning Philadelphia into his chessboard.
Gray’s direction is relentless: taut set pieces like the botched execution and tunnel chases blend with psychological warfare, while Butler’s transformation—from grieving husband to cold-blooded genius—is career-defining ferocity. Foxx matches him as the slick attorney whose world crumbles, their showdowns crackling with intensity. Supporting turns from Viola Davis, Leslie Bibb, and Colm Meaney add gravitas.
Critics in 2009 were mixed—60% Rotten Tomatoes, praising Butler/Foxx chemistry but critiquing late twists—but audiences loved it: $126 million worldwide. Now, streaming resurgence has fans reevaluating: “Butler at his most savage—underrated gem” (@ActionFanatic, 50k likes). “The ending still shocks—better than most modern thrillers” (@RevengeMovies, 40k retweets).
Law Abiding Citizen isn’t just revenge—it’s a mirror to justice’s failures, as relevant in 2025 as 2009. Stream now on Netflix UK/Ireland. Brace yourself—the system’s about to break.
