Movie Review – Redemption Day (2021)

Redemption Day, 2021.

Directed by Hicham Hajji.
Starring Gary Dourdan, Serinda Swan, Andy García, Brice Bexter, Ernie Hudson, Martin Donovan, Robert Knepper, and Samy Naceri.

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SYNOPSIS:

Having simply returned residence, adorned U.S. Marine Captain Brad Paxton’s (Gary Dourdan) spouse, Kate, is kidnapped by a terrorist group whereas working in Morocco. He’s pressured again into motion for a daring and lethal operation to save lots of the girl he loves.

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A marginalized voice resembling Hicham Hajji (it’s additionally his first time within the director chair) helming an motion drama centered on Center Japanese terrorists and oil lobbying looks as if the precise thought to place a contemporary perspective on flat-out drained and offensive storytelling, however Redemption Day seems to be greater than high quality becoming a member of the underside tier ranks of such drivel.

The movie opens with what’s, on nothing greater than a technical degree (and even that’s not essentially a lot of a praise contemplating there’s really not a lot happening within the scene), a monitoring shot of expert US Marine Brad Paxton (Gary Dourdan who may profit extra within the main position if this motion film really had one or two extra thrilling set items) strolling via a army outpost, receiving some orders, who then marches to a convoy earlier than departing on the roads as opening credit play over the drive. There’s additionally an ambush that’s reduce brief as fragments of the sequence play out over the remainder of the film, piecing collectively sure components of redemption.

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Following this mission, Brad is introduced again residence the place he decides he desires to be a household man for some time, now together with his spouse Kate (Serinda Swan) set to be absent making an archaeological discovery surrounding some hidden ruins alongside the Algeria-Morocco border. Evidently, some terrorists pull off a kidnapping which springs Brad right into a rescue mission that doesn’t really begin till nicely into the third act. Within the meantime, Redemption Day is basking in the identical jingoistic clichés as most different American army tales whereas concurrently rendering each second trying to evaluate the turmoil between Algeria and Morocco as hole. If that’s not happening, there are folks again in America inside boardroom conferences planning what to do concerning the hostage scenario or snippets of Ernie Hudson’s grandfather character caring for the children.

Then Redemption Day goes one step additional into its dizzying array of tropes with the reveal that two individuals are taken hostage; Kate is pregnant. At this level, any hope that the film goes to do something remotely attention-grabbing has been deserted (not that I ought to have anticipated it to anyway given it’s the primary film of a brand new January and the way second-rate every little thing gave the impression to be), so all that’s left is taking within the boring plotting and the rescue itself. In fact, it’s all predictable and the payoff lands with about as a lot emotion as every little thing else within the film, which is to say none.

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Unsurprisingly, that burst of motion doesn’t present a lot adrenaline both, coming throughout as an outdated third-person shooter recreation that performs slower than molasses. For some, the movie’s informal and seemingly random acts of brutality in opposition to girls may also be a dealbreaker, and it’s onerous responsible them given it’s only a jolt of shock worth. Possibly Hicham Hajji will probably be allowed to take a crack at making one other movie at some point, by which he will probably be making an attempt to redeem himself for this waste of 90 minutes. It’s as if somebody got here with the intention to make a tacky VOD motion flick (which is completely high quality contemplating there’s at all times going to be a marketplace for that and people films clearly may be enjoyable) however forgot the enjoyable elements in favor of a critical bore.

Flickering Fable Ranking – Movie: ★ / Film: ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Movie Critics Affiliation and the Critics Alternative Affiliation. He’s additionally the Flickering Fable Evaluations Editor. Verify right here for brand spanking new critiques, observe my Twitter or Letterboxd, or e mail me at [email protected]

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