
John-Michael Powell’s Violent Ends takes itself very seriously, but ironically comes across as somewhat superficial. The film relies on familiar tropes without offering any new perspective, which is immediately noticeable in how Emma’s death is presented. Despite intending to evoke strong emotion, the film doesn’t give the audience enough reason to truly feel the loss. We see a single, sweet scene of Lucas and Emma together, followed by brief appearances of her before her death. While the actress has natural charm, she’s limited by the character’s lack of depth. The use of the “dead wife” trope – flashbacks showing happy moments presented as a montage of disconnected, overly cheerful scenes – feels unintentionally silly, like a commercial rather than a genuine emotional portrayal.