I love a good Liam Neeson action romp as much as the next guy, but Retribution ain't it. In fact, none of his recent Taken rip-offs have been it.
Over the past decade, Neeson has begun prioritizing the B-level action fllicks over films that remind you that he's an Academy Award nominee. It's almost as if the likes of Roadside Attractions, Open Road Films, and Lionsgate — the home of most of Neeson's recent filmography — gather their creatives around a table with a “Liam Neeson Movie Generator.”
Think of Jimmy Fallon's “Wheel of Impressions” that he makes some guests spin. You have the one constant, that being Neeson, and then you have the inspiration, that being the Taken franchise. The third slot is some sort of vehicle or setting. We've gotten “Taken on a Plane” (Non-Stop); “Taken on a Train” (The Commuter); “Taken on Ice” (Cold Pursuit and The Ice Road); and a bevy of others.
Now, in Retribution, Neeson attempts to pull off “Taken in a Car” mixed with Speed which, if nothing else, proves that this subgenre of him self-parodying the genre he made popular is running on empty.
Retribution review
Matt Turner (Neeson), a financier, is too distracted at work for family. His marriage is on the verge of being split, and he's not that connected to either of his children (played by Avatar: The Way of Water actor Jack Champion and Lilly Aspell). But Matt is too focused on getting his old pal played by Matthew Modine (I can't pretend that I remember the character's name) back on board one last time.
Even if he's not a great father, Matt drives his kids to school. That's when he gets a call from a mysterious voice and is blackmailed into doing any tasks he asks of him. There's a bomb beneath his seat that will detonate if he doesn't do what he's asked or if anyone leaves the car. Unlike “Life is a Highway,” Neeson does not want to drive this car all night long. (At least he seemingly has a full tank of gas!)
It sets the stage for a fun concept, one that they borrow from the Spanish film El desconocido. But that concept drives itself into circles throughout Retribution's 90-minute runtime.
Retribution just lacks any sizzle or pop to keep the viewer engaged. After the first phone call, an hour pursues of the same sequence of Matt being forced to do something, him (and his kids) witnessing tragic events, and then a cooldown period where he talks to his kids. It makes about as much sense as the film being set in Berlin — something I'm still not entirely sure the film itself cares to explain.
The so-called “twist” is completely nullified by the fact that Retribution has about five actors in it not including Neeson. Just by doing simple process of elimination, it's not hard to figure out who is orchestrating all of this.
Perhaps it's not meant to be a mic-drop moment, but then what is the purpose of Retribution? Is it to watch Liam Neeson get out of some high-stakes situation? Because that shipped sailed about 45 minutes into the movie after your brain is thinking, “Been there, done that,” to every sequence.
Before you come at me, I'm not above a silly, good time at the movies (I love the Fast & Furious franchise). Retribution, however, isn't enough fun to remind you of a Fast & Furious flick, nor is at as thrilling as Neeson's other ridiculous action films like Non-Stop.
Which is ironic considering Andrew Rona and Alex Helneman have produced a number of Neeson's action films, starting with Non-Stop. Clearly, they understand the formula. But they failed to realize that the formula has been used in many burgers (to diminishing returns).
And this likely says more about Neeson's career trajectory than anything. Like Dwayne Johnson's inability to play a character that may even slightly resemble a bad guy, Retribution is hampered by the fact that Neeson is the de facto good guy in all of his films. That's not to suggest a full heel turn in every one of his films, but Matt is a relatively good person. There's no real reason that he should be getting targeted.
Sure, it's implied that he has lost people money in the past, but there would be so much more punch in the script if Matt wasn't a good person and the mysterious man was trying to get revenge. Instead, he's left constantly asking himself the same question that the viewer is: What did I do to deserve this?
Unfortunately, Liam Neeson has prioritized these action romps over films that'll showcase his abilities. Take last year, for example. He starred in Blacklight (which I saw and cannot recall a thing about), Memory, and Marlowe (which, to its credit, was a throwback to the classic Hitchcock noir era). There's the occasional Silence or Made in Italy thrown in there, but I know I can't be the only one who longs for the days of either a good Neeson thriller or a good Neeson drama.
Nimród Antal, who has directed episodes of Stranger Things in the past, directs Retribution. Unfortunately, this is a film that only the likes of Michael Bay could even hope to infuse any sort of visual panache in. Flavio Labiano, the film's cinematographer, is very limited given Retribution's car setting — and it shows.
Should you watch Retribution?
At this point in his career, it's sad to say that none of Liam Neeson's films are essential viewing. Retribution certainly doesn't make the case for it to be the one, and we'll see if Neeson's next Taken riff can get him back on track (perhaps “Taken on a Hot Air Balloon is next in line).
Grade: D
Retribution will be released on August 25.
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