The Retaliators, 2021.
Directed by Samuel Gonzalez Jr., Michael Lombardi, and Bridget Smith.
Starring Michael Lombardi, Marc Menchaca, Joseph Gatt, Katie Kelly, Jacoby Shaddix, Ivan Moody, Zoltan Bathory, Chris Kael, Abbey Hafer, Robert Knepper, Robert John Burke, and Tommy Lee.
SYNOPSIS:
An upstanding pastor uncovers a dark and twisted underworld as he searches for answers surrounding his daughter’s brutal murder.
Heavy metal and horror films often feel closely related. The fanbases often align, offering more extreme ways to let out your passions. In that intersection between rock-n-roll and horror lives The Retaliators.
The latest film from Michael Lombardi and his ragtag team of filmmakers, The Retaliators, is a gnarly little genre entry that often feels gore-drenched and unpleasant. With all that, the film still finds a way to bring subtle complexities to its story, going from just a simple revenge tale to something more worthwhile.
We don’t break any new ground here, and at times, the acting isn’t what you’d want, but there’s a passion here, and the cast & crew come together to make sure you understand this story and feel what the characters are feeling.
Often horror asks a lot from its fans, but The Retaliators invites you to throw up the devil horns and enjoy the wild ride.
Pastor Bishop (Michael Lombardi) teams with revenge-filled lead investigator Jed (Marc Menchaca) in a madcap adventure that sees the Pastor question if he should give into the darkness or push to remain pure and wholesome. With the amount of gory madness and rock music sprinkled throughout, you can see what path he may go down.
That’s the beautiful root of the story and why it works so well. Pastor Bishop and Jed can’t seem any different, but they share a dark trauma that unites them and puts them on this journey together. These narratives play very well and keep you compelled through the runtime.
At times, The Retaliators feels like an ultra-serious crime thriller, where you are clamoring for any moment of levity or carefree fun. During the first viewing, this may feel tedious, but it pays off wonderfully by the time we enter the closing moments of the piece.
You can tell we’re building towards something truly insane the whole time, and once that third act hits, no horror fan will be let down. We got all the tension building out of the way, and the film’s finale sees blood and guts spilled, eyeballs popping out, and some genuinely significant practical effects as Bishop and Jed face off against their demented foes.
Something that does need to be spotlighted is the film’s relationship to music, especially rock music. When Lombardi joined as a producer, he would go on to team with the folks behind Better Noise Films and Better Noise Music. This is why we see quite a few members of famous rock bands throughout; these include Papa Roach, Five Finger Death Punch, and Ice Nine Kills. Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee takes up another spot on the roster, though his acting leaves much to be desired. While I wholly understand why you’d bring on these rockers, it felt more like a matter of business than an actual mixture of the two worlds.
This goes hand-in-hand with The Retaliators often feeling like a music video, which isn’t necessarily bad but cheapens the overall experience. It firmly puts the film in the pure indie horror realm and doesn’t allow it to go above a cheap, fun, low, budget romp.
But these days, genre fans call for more entertainment and less “elevated horror.” With Halloween Ends getting backlash for switching things up for a typical genre entry, there will be a market for this where people are thrilled to see mindless entertainment back in horror.
With the 80s rock aesthetic and the filmmakers calling back to a different era of horror, The Retaliators will likely be a cult hit for many. The thrilling kills and rocking soundtrack will transport you to a different time and place, letting you ease into the madness these filmmakers presented.
Throughout the film, you’ll see countless missing limbs and blood-drenched decapitations, but you’ll also find a compelling story about how two men handle their pain very differently. For as much as The Retaliators wants to be a sleazy, fun time, it never forgets to add some heart.
Like a good rock song, you’ll headbang to the thrills here but will still be impacted by what the filmmakers say.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★
EJ Moreno
