⭐️ (out of 5)
When office workers make multiple copies of a document, each subsequent duplicate usually diminishes in quality. Retribution was originally a celebrated Spanish production, and this was followed by a German interpretation that received similar accolades. Hollywood eventually sought this success with Liam Neeson in the titular role of financial advisor Matt Turner, whose life is threatened by a vindictive bomber.
Despite being under pressure at work, the financier is responsible for taking his children to school. Yet, soon after leaving home, Matt receives a call from an unknown caller who states he has placed a bomb under the seats of everyone in the car. The bomber’s demands involve getting funds from a secret account at Nanite Capital that only Matt and his boss Anders Muller (Matthew Modine) can access in Dubai. As the financial advisor speeds through the streets of Berlin, he must do all he can to protect his children and discover the man behind the phone’s distorted voice.
This storyline’s third copy does suffer from diminished quality from subsequent remakes. Liam Neeson has struggled to reignite his career over the past few decades and this misadventure does nothing to add to his filmography. As the screenplay has faint whispers of Speed and Phone Booth, director Nimród Antal’s production only makes these other films look like cinematic masterpieces. Between the inexplicable variations of accents, Neeson’s ability to drive through this metropolitan city with few stops, and the less-than-satisfying ending, there is little about this movie that is believable or original.
As with many aging action stars, Neeson would have been more believable as the grandfather to these children. He was a force of nature throughout the Taken franchise. Still, his recent run of films hopes to tap into the memory of his former action hero glory. As an Academy Award nominee, it might be worth hanging up the action genre and leaning into his dramatic abilities in this season of life. This role and recent film choices reflect what this film has to offer audiences as it feels tired, uninspired, and is a mere shadow of the original.
Reel Dialogue: What would you do for your family?
Retribution is a depiction of the love of a father and his children that he needs to be reminded it still exists. This story line begs the question of how far a parent would go for the sake of their family. At the heart of the Bible is the ultimate example of a Father's love for his children which culminates in the cross of Christ. Take the time to read one of the Gospels to understand what true sacrifice really means.
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