Note: This review previously appeared as a Frightfest 2021 review.
A tale of faith, revenge and a blood quota of excess punctuating the air alongside a Heavy Metal mix is what defines THE RETALIATORS, which premiered on the final day of the live London Frightfest 2021.
A mild-mannered pastor with two daughters gets short shrift during the Christmas build-up when an aggressive shopper commandeers his tree, but the idea of revenge is not something a man of the Church and a much-looked up to influence in his community doesn’t do.
Meanwhile, a drug deal gone wrong puts his older daughter in conflict as she heads to a party by car and fills up at a gas station as the supplier bangs and vocalises in the trunk of the car of the aggressor. Pursued, the daughter is tied up in her car and driven into the water. The pastor receives a distress call, but to no avail.
Taking his case to the police, the pastor suddenly begins to develop feelings of revenge beyond compassion which affects his judgement and perhaps God is feeling a little considerate too…..
One of the picks of this year’s Frightfest, a festival that appeared to be leading the way in terms of proper live and interactive film festivals post-pandemic, THE RETALIATORS, written by the The Geare Brothers and co-directed by Bridget Smith and Samuel Gonzalez Jr. is a simple tale done effectively, excessively punching high above its’ weight of intensity, particularly during a blood-soaked climax that rivals Alexandre Aja’s HIGH TENSION and other revenge tales throughout recent decades.
The plot is unoriginal, but it is certainly a movie that will involve you emotionally, backed up by a pulsating Heavy Metal soundtrack with the likes of Five Finger Death Punch, Tommy Lee, Papa Roach, Ice Nine Kills and Escape The Fate amongst others (this will be available soon via Better Noise Music. Of course, your appreciation of the deeper themes within will depend on how much of an airhead or gorehound you are, as both are in abundance here.
]THE RETALIATORS will be in UK Cinemas and Worldwide from September 14th, 2022. Tickets available at:
https://www.retaliatorsmovie.com
For more on the London Frightfest, please go to:
