Customer Reviews

Retribution [VHS]

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While any film adaptation of a novel necessarily loses scenes and condenses characters, Complicity (or Retribution in the US) stays true to the heart of the story told by Iain Banks back in the early 90s. Jonny Lee Miller (of Trainspotting) does a fine job as Cameron Colley, a cynical leftist investigative reporter in Scotland who becomes linked with a series of deaths which have occurred across the country after he had written a scathing article which called for the violent deterrence of so-called white collar criminals such as corrupt politicians, arms dealers, and corporate raiders. Is Colley the killer or has he been framed? This film is a stylish mix of suspense, mystery, humor, and a little bit of kink, and I highly recommend it and the novel it was based on, Complicity by Iain Banks.

This movie starts beautifully and the first 60-70 minutes actually work very well. Performances are marvelous, particularly Miller and Hawes, and you do get caught up in it.
It seems to be picking up speed and then it becomes a "Law and Order: SVU" episode.
All in all though, not a bad little movie.

Aside from the difficulty in understanding the Scottish dialogue, and what turns out to be a slightly forgettable, muddled plot, the performances are what carry this movie forward. Jonny Lee Miller, as always, is incredible. Though he's lost some of his thin faced freshness, he still has an appeal that remains universal. He and his co-stars do an admirable job with less than great material, but in the end (and at the end) what good's a movie unless you're kept interested. An unexpected, fairly dumb ending. 2 outta 5.