Homeless and on the run from a military court martial, a damaged ex-special forces soldier navigating London’s criminal underworld seizes an opportunity to assume another man’s identity — transforming into an avenging angel in the process.
REVIEW:
Prior to a few other movies I ended up seeing recently in the past month after drafting this review, I got around to watching the North American release of Steven Knight’s directorial debut, Redemption. It is a much quieter action film and doesn’t take on many of the characteristics of your favorite Jason Statham-casted typical blockbuster popcorn flicks. Rather, the film is more poignant and character driven in the telling of its story about a fractured former soldier, Joey, wandering the streets among London’s homeless community with girlfriend, Isabel, played by Victoria Bewick.
The film continues as Joey is injured while fighting back against a gang of thugs and seperated from Isabel who runs for her life. Joey soon finds safe haven in an occupied apartment with its resident missing, and soon, assumes another identity, cleans himself up and heals with the help of Sister Cristina, played by the film’s other main star, Agata Buzek. As Joey heals from his injuries and redeems his image, his skills as a soldier are eventually made known to an underworld crimeboss who hires him as a driver and enforcer. His newfound per diem and authority in town makes him an avenging angel benefitting Cristina, his former fellow homeless acquaintances, and his estranged wife with whom they share a daughter who doesn’t know he exists. Evidently, his newfound small fortune also comes at a price, which also adds to the complexity involved in the evolution of Statham‘s character, who is drawn closer to the bleak answers behind Isabel’s disappearance, and the only solution he has left to dispense his own brand of justice in an unjust life.
Statham truly hones into his acting abilities and gives viewers a chance to see him for his acting talents, and not for the usual cockney-accented ass kicker with a set of sharp abs and a rock-hard stare to boot. And nor does he portray a perfect hero with all the answers, but an imperfect man who belives in enforcing justice the the only way he can to keep believing in the world, in love, and what little sanity he has left. Moreover, his on screen chemistry with the beautiful Ms. Buzek, works tastefully well, also making Redemption not just the excellent revenge thriller the film is, but the love story the film needed to be. Buzek was marvelous with her performance as Sister Cristina, a nun who caters to London’s homeless at a soup kitchen who reluctantly comes to Joey’s aid, and ultimately, as time passes, starts falling for Joey while her exposure to the world outside church walls help her confront her own confliction with her faith, in accordance with the demons of her past.
Steven Knight, who wrote and directed the film, leaves his first mark here as director since his career starting with commericials in the late 1980’s according to his imdb page, which is comprised mostly of writing credits. Clearly, his expertise foundates his credentials as an up and coming filmmaker with Redemption kicking things off to a great start for what I hope will be a much long and fruitful career as a director.
Redemption is a rock-solid revenge thriller with a lot of heart, wrapped in muck, grit and tragedy, capturing all the precious and bright little things that stand out in the darkness. It is a story about war, atonement, poetic justice, and understanding of the human condition, packaged in a sure delivery of a great first film from a first-time director.
Lookout for Redemption on Blu-Ray, DVD and VOD, as well as in other markets as Crazy Joe and Hummingbird.
Knight’s next film is Locke, to be released in 2014 starring Tom Hardy. Statham will be starring next with James Franco and Sofia Vergara in Homefront, from director Gary Fleder, and adapted for the screen by Sylvester Stallone and novelist William Goldman.
