The Retaliators

This is a slightly edited review of the one that was first published when The Retaliators was presented at London FrightFest 2021.

With a body thrown down a well and a car turning up a private road for the occupants to then have a flat tyre with figures in the forest one of whom warns them, after one has already been dragged away, he in turn is pulled under the car, leaving the other to her fate, The Retaliators has quite an opening.

We move swiftly on to Stockbridge, New Jersey at Christmas where the Bishop family are shopping for trees. Dad John Bishop (Michael Lombardi) is with daughters Sarah (Katie Kelly) and Rebecca (Abbey Hafer) who leaving their tree unattended is picked up by a man who refuses in no uncertain terms to return it when challenged by John, who is then humiliated.

John is a man of peace being the local pastor and his nature is to turn the other cheek even if it drags his esteem down in front of his daughters. John is also the councillor for the community not entirely linked to the fact that his family is still grieving for the loss of his wife and daughters’ mother.

Meanwhile a reconciliatory drug deal in the town ends badly and messily as rival gangs look to settle differences. The ultra-violent Ram (Joseph Gatt) has his methods and while he is dealing with one, its Rebecca’s bad luck, having left a party to notice that Ram has something kicking about in the boot of his car. It can’t be left and relentless in his chase her kills her.

John is inconsolable when he’s approached by the cop in charge of the case Jed (Marc Menchaca) offering him a chance to spend a minute with Rebecca’s killer. Ram then goes missing, which triggers a search for him plus the money and drugs he was handling.

There’s a lot to reference and lot to like in Michael Lombardi, Samuel Gonzalez Jr and Bridget Smith’s film, from a very good script by Darren and Jeff Allen Geare. The opening sequence hints at a zombie film (quickly dispelled) settling down to a small-town tragedy with a peace-loving dad turned the spirit of vengeance. There is a bit more to that not least the sheriff’s pastime fuelling a distinctive grimness that is quite unsettling.

The villains are suitably nasty and sadistic – all members of rock band Five Finger Death Punch - if a bit cliched, though Gatt as Ram is a terrifying figure. Regardless of how the death of his daughter might affect John and propel him to take the decisions he will take later on, you know that Ram is an evil so and so who doesn’t need any sort of motivation to be evil, he just is.

There isn’t too much to complain about in The Retaliators as it steams forward towards the end to make sense of the beginning. There's with nary a wasted word or scene to a rock soundtrack that was a tad intrusive at times though not overwhelming. Recommended.