If you haven't yet had the pleasure of viewing the films of Chilean director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, run (don't walk) to your nearest screen and check out MANDRILL, KILTRO or any of the his other magnificent films. Adding to this incredible repertoire is Espinoza's latest solid effort, REDEEMER.
In REDEEMER, Espinoza once again teams up with his martial arts muse Marco Zaror. This outing finds Zaror as a mysterious vigilante who arrives in a quiet fishing village just as an innocent angler is taking a beat down by some baddies. In typical hero fashion, Zaror's "Redeemer" saves the day, delivering some badass justice to each assailant and unwittingly setting in motion a vendetta by one of the region's drug lords.
Espinoza does a beautiful job allowing the story to gradually unfold. Via flashbacks, we learn about our hero's past and the reasons behind his conflicted present, and even more revelations in the third act elevate the film far above your average action/redemption tale. Though Zaror's character is not the most verbose, his portrayal of the hero aptly captures the internal turmoil from which he suffers. Another performance that is most definitely noteworthy is Noah Segan as American drug lord Bradock. His menacingly hilarious rendition of a classic bad guy is the highlight of the film for me, nicely balancing out the serious stuff with some much appreciated comic relief.
Oh yeah- and then there's the action! Zaror's a non stop fighting dynamo in scene after scene of expertly choreographed action sequences. It's so exciting to see such fresh and unique routines play out with never a dull moment. Just when you think there couldn't possibly be another way to serve someone's ass to them, Zaror delights us with some of the most innovative fight scenes of the genre.
Once again, Espinoza and Zaror continue their winning streak with REDEEMER, and I'm already looking forward to whatever they come up with next.
Cheers,
Rebecca Elliott aka Annette Kellerman
