Retribution * * * ½

It's been a while since I last saw Liam Neeson punch the crap out of someone so I thought I'd go check out his latest film, but the only thing that gets a beating is the punching bag in his private gym.

Matt (Liam Neeson) lives in a magnificent modern house with his disgruntled wife and kids.  But financially he's done well. He is a hedge fund manager.  The beginning is surprisingly good. with his teenage son and adolescent daughter complaining about the sort of crap that kids always complain about, and Matt being too busy to do his parental duty, but compelled to do it anyway.  It all came across as quite realistic. 

You too have a special set of skills? Damn!
They get into the car and we notice the streetscape is very European.  For a while I couldn't figure out which American city they are in, until I realised they are ex-pat Americans living in Berlin.  

With the kids in the back seat playing with their mobile phones, Matt starts to drive them to school when he receives a phone call.  "There is a bomb in the car and if you try to call the cops or if you don't do what I say it'll go off ... blah blah blah" (you know how it goes).

It turns out that the caller is a nutcase who won't say exactly what he wants, just yet.

We learn that Matt has given some clients some pretty lousy advice of late.  A lot of money has been lost, so the likelihood of someone seeking revenge is high.  
But a bomb?  Really? 
Yes, really, and he proves it to Matt by directing him to a location to witness him blowing up the car of one of his colleagues, whilst his colleague is inside it.  Suddenly two types of  body parts are spread across the street - man and machine.  
"See", says his tormentor. "Believe me now?"

Matt has to drive where he is told to.  He is told that the bomb under his seat is pressure sensitive. If he gets out the car, the bomb goes off.  His wife gets involved as a courier running to the bank and cleaning out Matt's safe deposit box.  Then the cops finally get involved of course, with the boss cop being a hip looking African American woman with an American accent; which is just what you'd expect in Berlin, right? 

How can Liam get out of this pickle without his usual fool proof method of punching the crap out of someone?  I won't spoil it for you.  

Despite it's implausibility's it's actually a fun ride.  A well paced and tense ninety minutes at the cinema.

Comments