Retribution

This little gem of a movie is a master class in how to use and work with a limited budget. The directors wisely chose to tell a small, contained story. The result is something very tightly focused that actually manages to grasp well beyond its expected reach.

It's quick off the mark and snappily paced, drawing the viewer in with no time wasted. The movie exudes confidence, and never falters, striding to its grim conclusion. The excellent cinematography makes it very easy on the eyes on the journey there. Whilst dark, brooding and occasionally surprisingly brutal, our protagonist also gradually reveals some deeper motivations, something to help the audience invest further in his story.

Performances range from admittedly only acceptable, to very good, with the stand out for me being the hitman. Scary guy, very unsettling. Dan Richardson also nails it in the lead role. There is some clunky dialogue here and there (looking at you inept police officers), and moments of exposition that could be trimmed down, but these are minor issues in a movie that far exceeds expectation. It's a cliché', but these writer/directors could be 'ones to watch'. I wonder what they could achieve with a larger budget?