Steven Knight's REDEMPTION
Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
Jason Statham plays a homeless and traumatized Special Forces veteran who lives in a box in a back alley in London with his girlfriend. They frequent the charity soup kitchen run by frail looking young nun. When a group of heavies rousts the alley’s homeless residents looking for drugs, Statham’s training takes over and the toughs and he engage in a vicious brawl.
Statham and his girlfriend are separated as a chase ensues. He take shelter in the luxury apartment of a celebrity who is spending the next six months abroad. He adopts the celebrity’s apartment, clothes, car, and money. He returns to the soup kitchen looking for his girlfriend and hands over a wad of cash in gratitude to the nun. Thus the movie begins.
This is not your typical Statham action movie. Morally and relationship-wise there’s a lot going on here. Statham’s character reveals itself through his evolving relationship with the nun while at the same time he starts hiring himself out as an enforcer to group of Asian gangsters who see how he can handle himself in a fight.
The fighting is not nonstop and there are no big car chases. This is a movie about relationships and the story line is a bit unusual. Those looking for something mindless might find themselves bored.
I enjoyed it along with the excellent direction and beautiful nighttime photography. The thick English accents are a bit tough to follow at times but if you just follow the movement and the eyes you’ll be fine.
Review copyright (c) 2014 by Dennis D. McDonald. For more reviews like this scroll down. To find out about my consulting go here.
