Retribution

I went into this not knowing anything about it; I didn't know it was a remake nor what the plot is. Turns out, it's a contained thriller that's quite well-paced, managing to wring enough tension and suspense out of its simple premise with strong editing.

Neeson and some of the other cast members really do give it their all, and they bring life to the film that makes up for the bland direction and cinematography.

While most of the time the movie is compulsively watchable, what really holds it back is the script. It's bad.

It's a strange kind of bad that really does feel like this screenplay was generated by ChatGPT. Nearly all of the dialogue is stilted and generic, and the story moves kind of haphazardly, as though a machine were calculating what was the next appropriate action movie plot point to throw in next.

I guess it's better than many of the other beige action flicks Neeson has churned out over the years, but it's still far from good.

When I walked out of the theater I almost felt... empty... but I don't wanna say that the movie is bad, but... then again, I don't wanna say the movie is good either. It's your standard Liam Neeson thriller (with a little less action), but has the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Luckily, the movie is only an hour and a half long, so it's not excruciatingly long. The main twist of the movie was sort of surprising, but at the same time made sense in the grand scheme of things, so I guess it could be considered 'predictable' depending on who you ask. I guess at this point I'll just throw it smack dab in the middle. As a I wrote before, not good, not bad. 5/10.

Retribution (2023) : Movie Review -

Retribution Movie Review: Nimród Antal's action thriller Retribution sees Liam Neeson take the lead role. Based on the Spanish flick "El desconocido" (2015), Retribution restores all the original elements but seems too soft for today's audiences. Actually, remaking a 2015 flick that hasn't gotten a high repeat value or universal acclaim wasn't a good idea in the first place, but technically it was a safe bet. The script did not demand a huge budget, long hours, or any transformations, so it sums things up quickly. That's easy, but somebody has said the right thing: "Easy is boring". You need something exciting and thrilling just to add one more layer to your decent watch, and the product should land safely. Retribution gets to that decent point, but not to that one extra layer.

Retribution revolves around bank financier Matt Turner (Liam Neeson), who is more busy at work than his family. He thinks everything's alright with his wife, son, and daughter, but it isn't. One day, Matt is off to leave his children at school in a car, and he receives an anonymous call on a cellphone that has been left inside and is told that a bomb has been placed under each of the car's seats, set to explode if any of them leaves their seated position. The unknown caller asks Matt to do everything he says, and as we all know, he wouldn't give easy tasks. From money scams to murder, framing, and destroying one's identity, Matt's life is turned upside down. Can he get it back and save his children?

Retribution is a wannabe revenge drama that hardly has any sensible revenge theories. On the positive side, it is a very engaging hostage drama. You might have seen hostess dramas set in a godown, room, or house, but never inside a car. Retribution scores high in those attributes. One can feel the pressure that's built inside the vehicle and the way those three characters and one horrible voice behave. What goes wrong is the shortening process. The best thing about Retribution is that it's pacy and short, and the worst thing is that it's too short for a complete feature film experience. Predictability is caused by the remake factor, but it wouldn't be there for first-timers. The script has completeness intellectually but is incomplete as a thrilling ride. A little bit of extension to the storyline would have made a good difference.

Talking about performances, Retribution is all about Liam Neeson's acting finesse. This man suits the age, look, and personality of the character, but more than that, it's his own charisma that makes it look better. "I can't," says Matt, dropping his gun. Watch out for Neeson's expression and the situational brilliance provided by him. Noma Dumezweni shines in that one particular scene when she has a conversation with Matt, aka Liam. Matthew Modine will surprise you, despite limited screen space, while Embeth Davidtz underperforms, unexpectedly. The supporting roles of Lilly Aspell, Jack Champion, Arian Moayed, and others are somewhat noticeable.

Retribution's strength lies in its screenplay, even though the storyline is a bit pulpy. El desconocido showed the protagonist in a bad light as a dishonest person, while Retribution is way too mild in presenting the hero. It derives a lot from the sympathetic image of the hero, as we see his children and even the cops being too supportive towards him. It's generous and lovable occasionally-not fully, though. The technical aspects are okay, with a special mention to the background score. Flavio Labiano's camerawork is fine, and Steven Mirkovich's editing doesn't let you have a nap. Nimród Antal's return to the movies after 7 years may be alright, but I still prefer that aggressive Antal from Predators (2010). Moviemaking is far different now, so he must update himself. It's mandatory when you are remaking a so-so one-time film. Retribution is a one-time watch too, but how many people prefer that nowadays?

RATING - 5/10*

I don't know where to start.... The dialogues are bad, wooden, and cheesy. The acting is far from enjoyable. The characters are dull and absolutely undeveloped. There is no motivation for the bad guy I can find. The Police and "Europol" are far from realistic, and speaking of Europol: this is not a European FBI, as shown in the movies. And of course the way they show Berlin hurts to see. They drive down one street, the next turn he is 20km away in another part of the town.

I'm just happy I saw this in a sneak preview with cheap tickets, because if it was a regular screening with full price tickets I would have demanded a refund.

If you are into hyper-realism this ain't for you, but if you just want to check your brain at the door and have some fun this is well worth he watch.

Liam Neeson delivers as he always does and the supporting cast, especially young Lilly Aspell as his daughter, do a very god job.

Retribution is a remake of the 2015 Spanish thriller El Desconocido, with Liam Neeson as a financial trader who gets trapped in a car with a bomb and his two kids. The film is some what cliché but like I said you wouldn't watch this for it's realism and there are enough twists, turns and explosions to keep you interested.

Clocking in at 90 minutes in not a major investment in time either.

For the genre I give it a 7/10.