Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- anxious
- propulsive
- action movie night
- high tension viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the contained premise capable of generating suspense and emotion, but considered the screenplay flat, exposition-heavy, and overly familiar within Liam Neeson’s action-hero formula.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Matt, Emily, and Zach remain trapped in a bomb-rigged car while the unseen caller controls their movements.
Matt must protect his children while driving them to school and complying with threats against the family.
The bomber’s demands and Matt’s predicament are connected to his work as a bank executive and hedge fund partner.
A phone caller warns Matt that the car will explode if he stops or allows his family to leave.
Films like Retribution, and why
Speed
Shares the contained action thriller structure, vehicular peril, and escalating bomb-threat suspense.
The Taking of Pelham 123
Shares a bomb-driven countdown premise, urban pursuit mechanics, and pressure-cooker action.
Taken
Shares Liam Neeson’s angry-father action persona, family-in-danger stakes, and propulsive thriller pacing.
Locke
Shares a confined-location action thriller format in which a protagonist must follow an unseen criminal’s instructions.
Movie Details
- Director
- Nimród Antal
- Release Date
- 2023-08-23
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (1419)
Cast
- Liam Neeson
- Lilly Aspell
- Jack Champion
- Matthew Modine
- Noma Dumezweni
- Embeth Davidtz
- Arian Moayed
- Emily Kusche
- Luca Márkus
- Bernhard Piesk
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Retribution about?
- A Berlin-bound bank executive races through a bomb threat with his children trapped in the car, forced to obey an unknown caller while his personal and professional life unravels.
- What is Retribution like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Retribution as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Retribution violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Retribution as moderate.
- What did critics think of Retribution?
- Critics generally found the contained premise capable of generating suspense and emotion, but considered the screenplay flat, exposition-heavy, and overly familiar within Liam Neeson’s action-hero formula.
- Which films are like Retribution?
- Films with a similar feel include Speed, The Taking of Pelham 123, Taken, and Locke.
- How long is Retribution?
- Retribution runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Retribution?
- In United States, Retribution streams on YouTube TV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
