Red Right Hand

This movie was a perfect example of how you can't trust most people's ratings. If you want an entertaining movie with a dark protagonist trying to be good but has to let his violent side back out for his family, then you'll like this movie. Orlando Bloom's performance was very good and I thought everyone else did a more than fine job. It did not feel like a B movie. It kept my attention the whole time and I didn't find myself checking my phone. People who are giving this anything less than a 6 are just pretentious and believe every movie has to be Oscar nominated. Just go into it knowing what you are getting and you will be entertained.

Red Right Hand (2024) is a gritty, violent, somewhat depressing film with enough understated woke elements to distract and leave audiences wondering how much better it could have been.

The film seems almost schizophrenic in attempting realism in a genre that naturally gravitates toward right wing elements. Two graphic scenes depict brutal interrogations, but conducted by the villains. The chief villain is played by a woman with an army of male henchmen and a kinky boytoy. The one good cop on a corrupt force is a black guy. There is a lot of storm-trooper style gunplay and other violence, but much of it is off-camera. A scene involving violence toward a female is handled so obliquely as to leave the audience wondering what, if anything, happened. A young girl is taught to use a rifle and a knife, but the hero often finds himself without a gun or without bullets.

Orlando Bloom is excellent playing a backwoodsman with a lot of conflicts. He delivers a highly credible, nuanced performance. Garret Dillahunt also delivers a very credible performance as the preacher/sidekick. Andie MacDowell plays the antagonist in an over-the-top two-dimensional comic-book mode. None of the male characters seem to have any current romantic partners, although one spends a lot of time pining over his dead wife. What passes as the B-story love angle is the platonic relationship between Cash (Bloom) and his niece, which occupies a lot of screen time without managing to be particularly interesting.

Production values are adequate. Scenery and costumes seem authentic. Overall, the movie is watchable, but not truly satisfying. It's too timid for action fans, but perhaps too gritty for drama fans. The lack of any romantic angles leaves the characters seeming incomplete.

Greetings again from the darkness. Regardless of how attractive the real estate prices seem, it's usually best to avoid small rural towns controlled by a violent crime boss nicknamed Big Cat. Especially when she doesn't hesitate to make an example of those who cross her, and she 'owns' the local Sheriff and runs drugs throughout the area. Even those who break away from her organization are likely to get dragged back in, 'do this or else' style, if Big Cat wants them back. It's a self-perpetuating cesspool of control and being controlled.

The SMALL TOWN CRIME (2018) directing team of brothers Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms re-team to direct this surprisingly engaging backwoods crime thriller, with a screenplay from Jonathan Easley (his first). What's surprising about this is most movies of this genre are pretty simple and easy to predict. In this one, there are certainly some familiar tropes, but the depth of characters and the against-type performance by Orlando Bloom make this one quite a bit of fun. Also going against-type here is Andie MacDowell as Big Cat. It's her darkest role yet, and she seems to embrace the evil.

Mr. Bloom stars as Cash, a greasy, tatted, ripped dude with a Kentucky accent who is diligently working to keep his life on a good path. His past includes a beloved sister who passed away, severe alcoholism, and a life of crime while working as Big Cat's henchman. His life motto is "God-Family-Survival", and he's dedicated to his struggling brother-in-law, Finney (Scott Haze) and whip smart ninth grade niece, Savannah (newcomer Chapel Oaks). When Cash discovers that Finney has mortgaged the family farm to Big Cat, he quickly realizes he must cut a deal with his former boss to save what's left of his family. As Michael Corleone says, "they pull me back in." Big Cat values Cash's cool head under pressure - especially as compared to her other redneck lackeys. Her one misjudgment is in underestimating Cash after she has attacked his family. This leads to a blaze of violence and one crazy shootout on the grounds of Big Cat's estate. Supporting work is provided here by the always excellent Garrett Dillahunt (here as a rehabilitated preacher), Brian Geraghty as the Sheriff, Mo McRae as the good-intentioned Deputy, and Daniel David Stewart as Big Cat's ponytailed corrupt banker son. Johnny Derango adds some quality cinematography to this surprisingly intricate and well-developed crime thriller.

Magnolia Pictures will release the film in theaters and on VOD February 23, 2024.

I have seen the featured reviews rating this one a 4. I have to disagree as I reserve 4 (and below) for films which I regard as technically incompetently made or for acting that is far below average. IMHO, that is not true for this film. Direction is adequate as well as the cinematography (in fact, some outdoor scenes are above average). Acting by the lead Orlando Bloom is so-so, but his acting is redeemed by his co-stars. Garrett Dillahunt as a former gang member, now a pastor, is effectively over the top as a pastor. And Andie MacDowell plays against her southern belle type as a vicious mobster who enjoys torture and murder. Finally, newcomer Chapel Oaks is fine as Bloom's niece. The rest of cast is OK as well although I would have liked to have seen more of Brian Geraghty as the Sheriff because I think he is a very good actor. The plot, of course, is predictable for films of this type, with a surfeit of guns and violence for action fans. Therefore, while this definitely not a 10/10, it is a 6/10 film perfect as an entertaining time killer on a rainy day or a 2-hour flight.

Red Right Hand is a suspense/crime/thriller which takes place in rural Kentucky and focuses on the decay of the rural American family due to an inability to scrape a decent living. The most ironic name goes to the main character, Cash (played by Orlando Bloom with a strong performance and a better Southern accent than I could hope to conjure) and his brother Wilder (Garret Dillahunt). Without deviating from the well tread formula that films like this normally take, it adds a few twists now and then.

First, there is the strong performance by the antagonist Big Cat (played by Andie MacDowell (who usually plays in comedies but nonetheless proves her mettle here in a villainous role). She quickly shows that she means business, and yet there is an unspecified history between Big Cat and Cash.

Another strong role is the daughter (played by newcomer Chapel Oaks) who convincingly shows her wisdom beyond that of the two men raising her throughout the film. She gives a strong sense of female independence and like nearly everyone in the film, knows a thing or two about guns.

Speaking of guns, Obama famously complained that rural America clung to its bibles and guns. That's true here too but I would add two more to the list (at least according to this movie): big rigs and farm animals.

Overall, it's an enjoyable story but not one you haven't seen before with a few exceptions.

7/10.