For my money, there are two truly amazing, ass-kicking action flicks that came out of 2014 and wouldn’t you know, neither of them are from the United States. One of them is the Indonesian sequel called THE RAID 2 and the other is the Chilean film called REDEEMER, written and directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza. If you enjoy your action fast-paced and in your face, then this is a must-see movie starring Marko Zaror as Pardo, a top former hit man for a drug cartel who has gone rogue, taking down bad guys and wrong-doers in an effort to redeem himself for his past sins in hopes of one day seeing his wife and unborn child in Heaven, both of whom were murdered by a rival assassin known as Scorpion, played by José Luís Mósca.
Feared and respected by Chilean gangsters, the tattoo-covered Pardo — known as The Redeemer — carries with him a handgun with a cross embossed in the handle and a single bullet. Before each mission of redemption against a sinner(s) he prays and plays a holy round of Russian roulette. If he lives, he goes forth and cleans another bad soul of the streets. Bodies quickly pile up as The Redeemer gets closer to the drug lord, an English-speaking, sarcastic jackass named Bradock, played by Noah Segan. As Pardo manhandles and punishes anyone who crosses his path, his true test of will and talent shows up out of his past.
Espinoza has crafted a superbly precise punch-fest, showing off some truly incredible fight choreography developed by the star, Marko Zaror, accompanied by the complimentary cinematography of Nicolas Ibieta. Keeping up with these fights while keeping it real and still visually engaging must have been a Hellish task, but that collaboration pays off big time. Not only does REDEEMER have the look and style of what made the best early 90s action flicks so memorable, it also features an equally reminiscent soundtrack with music by Claudio Rocco.
REDEEMER is a success due to many elements. The general plot is not necessarily anything original, but the story itself takes on its own personality and is unique enough to carry itself without ever feeling tired and played out. I found myself watching the film, not distracted, but in the back of my mind thinking about how it has elements of what made films like DESPERADO (1995) and THE CROW (1994) so memorable. Then I also realized it had storytelling elements that reminded me of Jackie Chan films, such as RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (1995), but without the cheese factor. That’s when I realized this is a film seen 20 years past its era, but it never feels dated. This is martial arts action filmmaking at its nostalgic finest.
Zaror is a master of his craft. Some of the fight sequences will literally blow your mind. Seriously. If you’re not careful, you’ll be picking bits of your brain off your widescreen television. In particular, the final fight before Pardo finds Bradock is with Bradock’s right hand man, his captain, so to speak, and this fight is not only long but rich in detail. Espinoza works beautifully with Zaror in capturing the essence of the fight with realism. Not only does the scene amaze with its creativity but the finer details like Pardo sizing up his opponent, noting his weaknesses and finding his opportunities are all present. Furthermore, Espinoza doesn’t make Pardo another unbeatable, perfect fighting machine. Pardo gets hit frequently and does not always have the upper hand. This is especially true once we witness Pardo’s final fight for his life and the life of a young woman.
REDEEMER gets the adrenaline flowing from the beginning and maintains an exhilarating pace, but the film also catches the eyes of more discerning viewers who may appreciate the MMA (mixed martial arts) sensibility of Zaror’s talents and the evolution of Pardo’s fighting style(s) as he adapts his technique depending on the number and abilities of his opponents. REDEEMER does often implement the slow motion camera technique in the editing room, but does so with a very light hand with the purpose of showcasing the more extraordinary spinning kicks and flips and acrobatic awesomeness that occurs on the screen. This is a film about drug dealers and organized crime, so guns do come into play, but are not the focus of the action and Pardo himself favors his feet and fists over guns as his deadly weapons of choice, except when absolutely necessary.
Espinoza delivers a movie that takes me back to the heyday of JCVD (Jean Claude Van Damn) and exposes audiences to a martial arts master otherwise not well known to the world outside of Central and South America. The drug lord played by Noah Segan is occasionally a bit much, cheeky and perhaps trying to hard to channel Christian Slater, but ultimately we realize he’s not the true big bad antagonist to Pardo anyway, which allows the audience to write Bradock off a sort of comic relief. REDEEMER is well worth seeing and, given the opportunity, certainly worth seeing in the theater if you’re a fan of quality action movies.
REDEEMER opened in theaters and Video On Demand on June 12th, 2015.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
