Law Abiding Citizen

In 1999, Clyde Alexander Shelton witnesses the horrific murder of his wife and daughter during a brutal home invasion. The two men responsible for this tragedy are Clarence James Darby and his accomplice Rupert Ames, leaving Shelton devastated and seeking justice.

Struggling to secure a conviction due to insufficient evidence, prosecutor Nick Rice strikes a controversial deal with Darby. Under this deal, Darby receives a lesser charge in exchange for testifying against Ames, leading to Ames’ conviction and death sentence.

As Ames is sentenced to death, Darby is unexpectedly released from prison, exacerbating Shelton's feelings of betrayal by the justice system. This event boosts Shelton's desire for revenge against the men who destroyed his family.

Fast forward ten years, Ames is set to be executed. However, a sinister twist occurs when the deadly drug is replaced by an anti-convulsant, leading to his prolonged and torturous death, suggesting foul play may be involved.

An anonymous caller directs Darby to a secluded location, leading to a confrontation with Shelton, who is disguised as a police officer. Fueled by revenge, Shelton immobilizes Darby using puffer fish venom and gruesomely dismembers him while recording the entire act.

When Darby's body is discovered, the circumstantial evidence points toward Shelton as the prime suspect. Knowing the evidence against him is weak, Shelton decides to turn himself in, planning to expose the flaws in Rice's original case against him.

Rice receives a distressing phone call from his wife, revealing that Shelton has sent a copy of the grisly recording of Darby's death to their home. This unsettling development causes chaos and fear for Rice's family, particularly for their daughter.

In court, Shelton cleverly represents himself and boldly confronts the system, achieving temporary bail. However, this act of defiance leads him to contempt of court as he takes matters into his own hands.

Shelton negotiates a bizarre lunch for information regarding Darby's missing lawyer. This tactic leads Rice and his team to a chilling discovery as they ultimately find the lawyer buried alive, intensifying the shock of the case.

As the investigation progresses, a CIA informant alerts Rice to Shelton’s remarkable history of inventive assassinations. The threat escalates as the city is put on high alert, resulting in chaos and multiple deaths, including Rice's assistant.

Rice uncovers Shelton's auto garage, which conceals a secret tunnel connected to the solitary confinement cells. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Rice rushes to prevent Shelton's next violent act at city hall.

After being captured and returned to his cell, Shelton is unexpectedly confronted by Rice. Their intense confrontation reveals the cyclical nature of vengeance and the implications of Shelton’s quest for justice.

In a shocking turn of events, Shelton discovers that he has unwittingly activated a bomb hidden in his cell. As he reflects on his tragic journey with his daughter's bracelet in hand, the bomb detonates, culminating in a devastating end.