Starring: Michael Lombardi, Marc Menchaca, Joseph Gatt
What is the old saying about revenge? A dish best served cold, if I remember correctly…well, the directors of the retribution-riddled thriller THE RETALIATORS decided that an overtly viscous and copious dosage of crimson-rich repayment was best suited for its viewers, and we appreciate it!
The film follows mild-mannered man of God, (subtly known as “Bishop”) and his plight to avenge the death of his daughter. Bishop’s character slowly reverses his goody-two-shoes mentality when it appears that there’s no help in sight…that is until his daughter’s attacker is revealed with the assistance of a friend who has a special way of dealing with the lowlifes of society, then the full-on slaughter-vision goggles get slapped on and it’s time for some blood to spray. It’s a fun ride from start to finish, and the soundtrack only adds to the blissful visuals of body parts being lopped off in mass-quantities. Make no mistake about it – this film at times does struggle to find one clear pathway of understanding, but if you’re here only for the viscera, then will you be a giddy gorehound!
Jam-packed with a who’s who of heavy-music enlightenment (Tommy Lee, Jacoby Shaddix & Ivan Moody just to name a few), there’s plenty of memorable faces in this crowd to pick out. The film takes no prisoners with its depiction of shameless brutality – hell, it revels in it to be honest. If I were to spill any more details about this one it simply wouldn’t be fair to those who haven’t had a chance to experience it yet, but trust me when I tell ya: this one was meant for those who dig flix like DEATH WISH, MANDY & I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. At the end of it all, I can most definitely recommend THE RETALIATORS who like their payback stories with ample amounts of jettisoning jugular juices and dulcet decibles of metal mastery – watch this one when it explodes into your sightline.
Currently available on DVD, Blu-ray and a multitude of streaming services as of February 21st.
At the tender age of 6, Matt was indoctrinated into the horror genre by his mother, who asked him to sit down and watch "The Exorcist" with her - ever since then, it's been a blood-soaked, neon-lit, fever dream of an existence. "You don't make horror...horror makes you."
(Can't remember who came up with this quote, but he was probably off-kilter like I am).
