Retaliation Movie Review: Orlando Bloom Stars in This Safe but Effective Story about Abuse (LatestLY Exclusive)

Retaliation Movie Review: Directed by Ludwig and Paul Shammasian, Retaliation is about Malky, a working-class man whose childhood trauma returns to haunt him. Throughout the film you see him develop self-destructive behaviour that prompts his friends and family to have a falling out with him. In the movie you just see him inflict damage upon himself and his close ones and it sort of resonates with you as an audience member, because when his story starts unravelling, you start rooting for him and want him to stop. Orlando Bloom Reveals Why He Hated Being Looked at His Twenties, and How He Quickly Learned To Disappear.

This role in itself is very demanding and Orlando Bloom plays it so effortlessly. Never do you feel like it’s an actor playing a role, but rather someone who has actually gone through these hardships in their life. It’s very honest, raw, gritty and just soulful in a way that shows how Bloom has shaped himself up as an actor. The damage he inflicts upon himself and others just makes you feel for him, and while it invokes the anger inside you, you kind of sympathise with him. Katy Perry Uncomfortable Knowing About Orlando Bloom’s Parenting With Ex-Wife Miranda Kerr.

The cinematography is also another shining aspect of the film, it helps with the subtle symbolisms that the director is trying to convey while not being in abundance or too obvious. The shots of Malky destroying the Church or carrying the cross are very powerful to look at, and in a way they even represent as to where his mental state is in the movie.

Watch Retaliation Trailer Below:

The supporting characters are good too, they showcase how their relationship with him is straining, and how his trauma is affecting them. But the one problem with these characters is that Malky very rarely interacts with them in the movie, so them getting hurt doesn’t really hit as hard, they merely serve as just punching bags for Malky to hurt.

The subject matter as well that the movie is based on, being sexual abuse which is quite serious, Retaliation never really tries to fully commit itself to it, but rather tiptoes around it. It just makes the plot feel a bit shallow, because again it’s not fully explored and rather the movie plays the abuse aspect of it safe. Retaliation is rather much focused on implying as to what happened in bits and pieces, and it just never really hits as hard as you want it to.

But aside from all this, Retaliation still manages by pulling off an emotional third act which is very effective and powerful in my opinion. The bleak nature of it and the setup I feel ultimately pays off and acts as the saving grace of this film along with Bloom’s acting.

Yay

-Orlando Bloom’s acting.

-Subtle symbolisms with the cinematography.

-Effective and powerful third act.

Nay

-Supporting characters feel a bit underdeveloped.

-Plays its subject matter a bit safe.

Final Thoughts

While it plays itself safe and the supporting characters might be a bit underdeveloped, Retaliation is still carried by Orlando Bloom’s amazing and heartfelt performance along with a really powerful ending that will leave you shocked in your seats. Retaliation is streaming on Zee Plex in India on per and view basis.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 26, 2021 10:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).