Redeemer (2014)

How sad is this?

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Chilean director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, best known for his 2012 film "Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman," has helmed an exciting but complicated martial arts melodrama, "Redeemer," with actor and fight choreographer Marko Zaror, who earlier collaborated with Espinoza on both "Mandrill" (2009) and "Mirageman" (2007). Mind you, "Redeemer" is not your ordinary martial arts epic, and Zaror's acrobatic martial arts choreography elevates it above the formulaic standards. For example, the hero is a tortured individual. Pardo (Marko Zaror of "Mandrill") plays one-shot Russian roulette with himself on a daily basis. He loads a solitary bullet with a scorpion embossed on the cartridge casing into a revolver with a cross carved into the grips. Pardo's archenemy, Scorpion (José Luís Mósca of "Solteiros"), who stalks him, lives to undermine Pardo's search for redemption. You see, Pardo shot and killed Scorpion's young adolescent son with a bullet through his head. Written by Espinoza and producer Guillermo Prieto, this dubbed thriller develops an interesting storyline, features an entertaining variety of characters, but clocks in at a nimble 90-minutes. Initially, the protagonist Pardo has stopped killing for the cartel and turned himself into a vigilante. Like "The Equalizer," Pardo helps others who cannot possibly fend for themselves. He dresses himself inconspicuously and conservatively in a tattered jacket with a large hood that shadows his face. Typically, he approaches his adversaries and instruct them to bow and pray for forgiveness. Afterward, he knocks them down as if they were tenpins in a bowling alley. While "Redeemer" surpasses most hackneyed martial arts epics, Zaror distinguishes it with his looming, taciturn presence. The way that he stages close quarters combat sequences is often hypnotic and occasionally stunning. For example, an assailant attacks our hero from behind, and Redeemer slam-dunks the villain's head into a boat propeller blade! Espinoza often dilutes these skillful exercises in violence with slow-motion cinematography that aestheticizes their savagery. Pardo is the kind of guy who isn't afraid of contending with more than one opponent. Although his opponents arm themselves with a variety of weapons, they don't stand a chance against him. When Pardo isn't making life miserable for a happy-go-luck American who has come to Chile to become the equivalent of Scarface, he tangles with a worthy adversary, the Scorpion who has a long-standing complaint with him. Predictably, Scorpion and Redeemer resolve their mutual problem, but the resolution is surprisingly exhilarating!

First of i want to make it clear that i only watch this movie because the main character Marko Zaror will face off with Scott Adkins one of my favorite martial artist/actor in the upcoming Savage Dog and you guys know what this movie indeed a little surprise.I may not familiar with some of Marko older stuff but with this movie i finally know what this guy capable of and it bloody awesome.With the title like Redeemer you may think it had a heavily religious aspect but in the other hand it quite a violent action movie with a very depressing theme.The action scene is very well choreographed with some of the best hitting sound i see in this kind of movie,every time Marko show up on screen his charm and badassness always caught me off guard when he slay enemies room to room leaving a bloody mess behind.The negative for this movie is although he really good at fighting but he terribly at cover up the trace lead up to the death of many people he saved which i find very dumb and stupid.The bad guys is also very annoying when the movie always cut back to a American drug dealer that keep making unfunny joke and a guy that support to be the big thread to the main character but he barely show up until the final fight and in some flashback scene to remind the viewer how bad he is

The Chilean martial arts film REDEEMER is a real treat for fans of the genre. I was expecting nearly nothing from this film given my previous experience with Chilean films and star Marko Zaror in the form of the horrible KILTRO, a story I thought was quite terrible. The good news is that REDEEMER is nothing like that film; instead it's a gritty thriller laced with endless fight scenes which are brutal and wince-inducing.The template here is obviously the likes of THE RAID and WARRIOR KING and the film is all the better for it. The fights are brutal and bloody and inevitably feature gruesome special effects. Zaror is a fine screen fighter and he really looks the part here, hulking and yet fluid with some incredible kicking action. The CGI blood is pretty realistic looking and my only problem was with the random slow motion moves which don't look good, but these aren't enough to detract from the excellent fights.The story is routine and involves the usual quest for redemption, with a lot of religious undertones as you'd expect from a Catholic country. The narrative basically sees Zaror going from one fight to the next although the action is never repetitive, instead feeling fresh each time, and the violence is incredible. Low budget films like this one are the type that restore my faith in action cinema.

Not going to extend myself throwing flowers to this movie because probably, many of those words have already filled your mind after watching it. But lets just stick to a well made Martial Arts B-Movie with nice shootings scenes and combat, fast paced action that, as said before, will definitely leave you with at least one of those "damn! that hurt!" moments. not going to throw some spoilers but for those martial arts fans out there, you will find a very memorable fight/combate scene with some of the "minions" in which both displayed an amazing mixed martial art choreography, going from some MMA , BJJ, JKD-ish style with a great finale. Very recommended. Let's start supporting this rising honest talent to the place he belongs. Support the film. enjoy the fun.