RETRIBUTION

US, 2023, 91 minutes, Colour.

Liam Neeson, Jack Champion, Lilly Aspell, Matthew Modine, Noma Dumezweni, Embeth Davidtz. Directed by Nimrod Antal.

Since 2008, Liam Neeson’s career has embraced action thrillers, at least one every year for 15 years (and more to come). His fans enjoy these thrillers, not necessarily the greatest thrillers, but Liam Neeson does have a strong screen presence and his writers and directors provide a variety of action situations. As does Hungarian-American director, Nimrod Antal, with Retribution.

This is a reasonable contribution to Liam Neeson’s action repertoire, plenty of tension.

However, in checking out reviews and bloggers, it would seem that many anti-Neeson bloggers are masochists. They are prone to dislike the film. Off they go. They sit all through it, allegedly suffering because of how bad it is, then indulge themselves by often virulent online responses. this sledging phenomenon would be worth some serious study as to how of these non-fans tick.

But, back to Retribution. It is set in Berlin, with some fine vistas and locations in the city. It opens with some tension, Matt (Liam Neeson) preparing to go to work, some edge with his wife (Embeth Davidtz), a lively an agreeable young daughter (Lilly Aspell) and a surly teenage son (Jack Champion). He is very busy with business, banking, but is forced to drive them to school. And, on the television, we have seen a car exploding at the Tiergarten.

The screenplay is written as if it all takes place in real time which also builds tension. Even though it is a Liam Neeson action show, he spends practically the whole of the film sitting at the wheel of a car. And, well he might, because he receives a mysterious call from a disguised voice, threatening that there is a bomb under the car seats, ordering no one to leave the car, drive to various destinations (and another explosion killing a work colleague), a phone call to his wife, to retrieve a box from the bank, anxiety on the part of the children, his wife, and concern for the international police. He then faces an even greater crisis when the mysterious voice urges him to kill his partner at the bank, played by Matthew Modine.

There are quite a number of vivid car chases around Berlin, the police closing in, his daughter seriously injured in her leg by flying shrapnel from the explosion.

However, this is a Liam Neeson film and so finally he goes into action bribing wheel, to discover and confront the mysterious voice threatening him. Which he does – and very dramatically.

So, for those who enjoy these basic action thrillers and are prepared to spend 90 minutes, Liam Neeson, experiencing the tension in the drama, why not Retribution?

1. Liam Neeson action thriller? So many in the latter part of his career? Audience expectations?
2. The title, crime, endangering the lives, retribution?
3. The German setting, the city of Berlin, the landmarks, the streets, buildings, police, Europol?
4. The opening, Matt and his exercise, shower, meal, everything in order? Relationship with his wife? His daughter, Zach and the clashes with his father? The mother wanting Matt to take the children to school, the touch of tantrums? Establishing tension, pace?
5. The action taking place with the impression of action in real time? Contributing to tension?
6. Emily, her age, the phone, bonds with her father? Zach, sullen, forced to getting the car, his phone, girlfriend?
7. The phone call, the disguised voice, the threats, the bomb under the seat, the background of Matt watching television and the explosion of the car at Tiergarten? Told to drive, the threats to the children, the phone call to his wife, her not answering, her friend, indication of the divorce, the wife ringing back, the task to go to the bank, retrieve the box, deliver it to the man in blue – and the irony of the police swooping on him and taking him?
8. The mystery for Matt, his banking background, the phone call from Anders, their friendship? The phone call from Sylvain, the threats, his girlfriend upset, not to get out of the car, the police coming, her getting out, the explosion? The rendezvous, the meeting with Anders, his being told to shoot him, Matt and his dilemma, unable to shoot, the train going past? The explosion?
9. The issue of the money, the voice telling him to sign away the money in Dubai, the millions of euros? The effect on Matt, the growing tension, the phones, the interactions with his children, their change, supporting him? Emily and the injury from the explosion?
10. Driving, the dangerous chase throughout the city, the police?
11. The revelation concerning Anders, betrayal, greed, the plan, even covering his death?
12. The police closing in on Matt, tensions, the inspector, her suspicions, Matt pleading, Emily taken to the hospital, talking with his wife, a possible reconciliation and forgiveness, Zach free?
13. Matt, the drive, the encounter with Anders, the wrecked car with the doors missing, the protest procession, the man in the mask, getting into the car, the revelation? The explanations? Matt deciding to drive, to crash the car, Matt getting free and going into the River? Anders reaching for his phone, the explosion?
14. And the final information being given through the final credits?