[Redemption] doesn’t always work but wins points for originality.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
There’s a need for redemption here, to be certain, and it has nothing to do with the narrative.
As a statement about the fixed nature of cinematic tropes, Redemption provides a compelling supplement to Statham's current stardom.
The Hollywood Reporter by Frank Scheck
Part somber character study and part revenge thriller, Steven Knight‘s debut feature lacks the thematic depth necessary to take it seriously while not featuring enough of the high-octane action that its star’s fans have come to expect.
Los Angeles Times by Gary Goldstein
Statham's broody charisma and veteran cinematographer Chris Menges' ("The Killing Fields") eclectic views of contemporary London help hold interest, even as we ponder what Knight is really trying to say.
An awkward mix of realist social drama and Statham actioner, this doesn’t quite convince as either.
The A.V. Club by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
When Redemption works, it’s as a series of writerly miniatures fleshed out by Statham’s street-tough charisma and Chris Menges’ neon-soaked nighttime camerawork.
A debut effort that occasionally bogs down in its own symbolism.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service by Roger Moore
The more correct title would have been “Retribution,” which could work for any number of Statham vehicles over the years. But Redemption is just different enough to make us remember “The Bank Job” or “Killer Elite” or that he’s about to give those fun-but-silly “Fast & Furious” movies a proper villain.
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
Its narrative continuity is so sketchy and the screenplay so haphazard that the movie doesn’t add up to more than trash, seasoned with pretentious religiosity.