Movie Review: Red

Red poster

@TigersMS78 gets a little misty eyed watching Red…

So, no this is not the old people blowing shit up film but the understated Brian Cox film.

Red tells the story of Avery Ludlow (Brian Cox) a widowed, older gent whose best friend is a dog named Red, now before you say awwww…this ain’t Marley & Me but however if you add a big boxful of anger to the sadness, then you are getting closer to the mark. The film is based on a Jack Ketchum novel so you know from the outset that the film will ask some tough questions.
photo of Brian CoxWhen some local a-hole teens discover Avery fishing, they go to rob him only Avery doesn’t have any money, so the teens do what any teen carrying a shotgun would do…blow Avery’s dog – Red – head off. This sets off a chain of events, that changes lives.

Avery just wants some justice and accountability for actions and he won’t give up till he gets it. A very slow burning thriller, Red plays with conventions of right and wrong and when the cost of justice is blood, is it worth it?
Does revenge include an eye for an eye or does revenge require you to go beyond what was done to you to gain satisfaction and in the end what does this retribution serve?

Whilst the film plays with right and wrong, you can’t help but hate at least one of the teens because he is such a raging D-bag and is so unlikable and has no redeeming qualities, that you can’t wait for him to cop some punishment. (If only all people that killed animals could get this treatment.)
Brian Cox is once again very good, the three teenagers and especially the two brothers all play their parts very well, with Shiloh Fernandez being a standout.

A very good but ultimately very sad film about how idiotic decisions affect more than one life and it is a film that asks a lot of questions of the audience, which adds to its appeal. Red is a very good yet underrated and understated revenge flick.

Ryan Morrissey-Smith

@TigersMS78

Images: IMDB

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