Independent British film Retaliation, which some critics say showcases a career-defining performance by Orlando Bloom, will release in the UAE on March 25.
The film, which premiered in the US last year, stars Bloom as Malky, a demolition worker whose latest assignment is to tear down the church where he was molested by a priest as a young boy. That past comes back to haunt Malky when he meets the now elderly priest at a local pub and an encounter sends the protagonist's life into a tailspin.
Directed by siblings Ludwig and Paul Shammasian and also starring Janet Montgomery and Anne Reid, Retaliation premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2017 as Romans, where it earned rave reviews. Bloom, 44, has particularly been praised for his performance.
"Although he effectively uses his coiled physicality in his largely silent performance, he also delivers several anguished monologues, with great virtuosity, that could easily be utilised by acting students," The Hollywood Reporter writes.
The Chicago Sun-Times called Bloom's performance "brilliant and captivating".
“Bloom has established himself as an intense, physical, screen-dominating presence, with a little bit of Brando or at least Tom Hardy in the way he carries himself. It’s the best work of his career,” the publication's review continues.
While also praising the actor's work, Variety lauded the film for taking on a brave subject matter. "Retaliation opens a window into that dark corner of the male psyche so few films confront," it writes.
The Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings star says he took on the role after reading the first three pages of the script, written by Geoff Thompson, who based it on his own life.
"I could almost feel [Thompson's] journey through the character, and I knew that, if nothing else, I hoped that in making the film, it would find the right audiences," he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I just wanted to do justice to the character. I hope that other men who may have experienced this will see the film, and hopefully find healing in it. There are many unhealed people who go through the world without the opportunity to address what has happened to them and it affects them for the rest of their lives.”
Vibha Chopra, the head of global syndication and international film distribution at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, says Retaliation is an important movie for film lovers.
“We are very excited to bring [the film] to a wide audience in the Middle East this March,” she says. “I was blown away by Orlando Bloom’s performance, and we’re proud to be able to bring it to the audiences in cinemas and to be a part of film culture in these challenging times.”
