Red Rage (2019) – Film Review

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Director: Savvas D Michael
Cast: Ian Reddington, Vas Blackwood, Steven Berkoff
Certificate: 18

by @Roger Crow

Drugs, gangsters, prostitutes and hyper stylised imagery are the order of the day in the latest trippy offering from Savvas D Michael.

The film maker is turning out movies like there’s no tomorrow, and while he coaxes some great turns from his cast, this offering is filled with so many unlikeable characters, it’s hard to know who to sympathise with.

When you spend more time looking at certain visual flourishes, like the billowing plumes of red smoke from the drug at the heart of the drama, you know things are a little off. And the cinematography is terrific for what must be a relatively low budget affair.

Once more the director has assembled his repertory company of familiar faces, like soap veteran Ian Reddington; the scenery-chewing Steven Berkoff, and Lock Stock’s Vas Blackwood.

red rage film review movie

“Sharp and striking”

It centres on a murderous vigilante couple (Fernanda Diniz and Jack Turner) who tear through the city, serving vengeance to dealers of a new designer drug called Red Devil.

Performances are pretty good, as is the script. There is one epic one-take shot that is beautifully orchestrated, and at times it’s reminiscent of cult midnight movies helmed by Alejandro Jordorowsky.

But impressive performances and stunning visuals are let down by a humdrum story, which is a shame because as with most of his films, Savvas D Michael occasionally touches on greatness. The bottom line is: is it a story worth telling? And in this case, sadly not.

I believe SDM has a terrific film in him with the right story, but while the eye candy and street patter is sharp and striking, like his others films Righteous Villains and Original Gangster, the ending will leaving some viewers disappointed.

Performances8
Direction7.5
Script7
Cinematography8.5
Story4
Red Rage is released on DVD & Digital Download on 12th April
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