DVD Movie Review - Redemption (Hummingbird)

Redemption happens to be a Jason Statham film, without really being a Jason Statham film.  Are you looking for continuous action?  Not here.  How about perfectly choreographed fight scenes involving a fire hose, an axe, or maybe some oil?  Nope.  At least it has crazy driving scenes where cars make slow-motion jumps over explosions, right?  Ah, no.  What's actually in place of action, martial arts, and car stunts, are dramatic expressions, sad kisses, and a protagonist trying to drink his past away.  Yes, my friends, Redemption (Hummingbird) required a little more emotion from our pal Statham.  The real question is: does he pull it off?

After an almost empty U.S. premier, Mr. Statham took to the bottle and ended up vomiting and 

passing out in King Dragon's Chinese Restaurant.

STORY:

Joseph Smith (Jason Statham) currently spends his time lounging in a cardboard box with Isabel, because the London military are looking to court martial him for war crimes.  The only place safe seems to be the streets, until a couple of guys kick Joey's ass.  Running from more beatings, he falls into an apartment that ends up vacant for the rest of the summer.  With such fantastic luck, crazy Joey decides to change his life around and help those (Sister Cristina—played by Agata Buzek) who helped him.  Spoon negotiations, drunken stumbling, funny Jeff-caps, and sacrilegious scenes ensue.

"Are you trying to tell me this cap is somehow better than the massive cowboy hat I wore in Parker?"

THOUGHTS:

Redemption opened here in the States and four people went to see it: one super Statham fan, the projectionist, a cat looking for shelter, and a homeless guy, who thought it was an adult film.  That's about it.  Does that make Redemption a bad movie?  No.  Is it Oscar worthy then?  Probably not.  But if you place it next to Parker and J-Lo, this movie would take home every award, including best animated feature.

Now pay attention: if you exclude the silly empty apartment he falls into, the answering service message that states the place is his for the summer, the free debit card that just so happens to be left on the floor for use, keys that are laying around to a beautiful car, and oblivious neighbors that leave Joey in someone else's apartment and never question a damn thing—exclude that ridiculous premise...and you're actually left with a decent drama.

"Now, once you break the arm, like so, you remove it, bread it, and drop it into the 

fryer for about 10 minutes."

You're first introduced to a drunken, scraggly haired Statham, who actually has to run away from the bad guys.  He and the viewer will see a man in desperate need of a change.  Crazy Joey isn't a bad guy though, he just gets a little worked up sometimes and kills people, and then he attempts to drink it all away.  Now, you're probably thinking: "I don't really give a crap.  What I want to know is can Statham pull off the emotional scale required to be a Special Forces veteran with a mental disorder?"  Actually…yeah, he can.  But if you were really thinking: "So far this movie sounds like a complete waste of time."  Then you wouldn't be alone, because all the audience wants is Statham to play Statham in every movie.  Anything that deviates from the norm is preposterous.

Statham seems more comfortable performing the few action sequences required in the film, but gently glides into the more touching moments with Sister Cristina.  He may not have the emotional depth that some other actors have, but he fits this role nicely.  He even—SPOILER ALERT—cries at one point.  Now, if you're the type of person who reads that and believes Jay Statham does not cry, then it may be in your best interest to stay far away from this film.  There's even a very touching moment between Joey and his estranged daughter that'll make you wonder why Statham's been typecast almost his entire career as a reckless killing machine.  But then you see him collect money for the Chinese mafia, threaten men with nothing more than a spoon, and the universe seems to instantly align itself again.

"If invading your personal space is not enough to make you listen, I can pop out an eyeball too."

The plot can seem random and confusing at times, especially the scenes in Afghanistan, but if you pay attention to all the dialogue, you won't have any trouble picking up the main theme of the film.  The action sequences are thrown in to speed up a somewhat slower story and can seem misplaced with the rest of the pacing, but it's the several subplots that will keep your attention till the end.  You'll want to know what Joey ultimately will decide: rehash the past or chase his heart.  And to top it all off, the movie has one of the best revenge sequences you just need to see.  It's both hilarious and extremely fulfilling to watch.

"Hmm...I use the same size knife to butter my toast."

HUMMINGBIRDS & VIOLENCE:

About twenty minutes into the film, you'll finally realize why the movie's original title was Hummingbird.  The birds themselves, literally, fill a few scenes where Joey struggles with reality.  Now, the reason behind the hummingbirds will take a little longer, as the complete backstory isn't revealed until the end of the film through dialogue.  Also, don't let the drama aspect and the not-so-typical Statham movie fool you.  It still dabbles in extreme violence, prostitution, people trafficking, drugs, alcoholism, nude photography, and not-so-saintly nuns.

"Look at all the pretty butterflies...oops."

Can someone please get Mr. Statham some water, so he can sober up.  That's the forth time he 

said butterflies, instead of hummingbirds.

CONCLUSION:

Jason Statham may be a kick ass action star, but somewhere deep inside is tiny drama actor lying in wait.  The film can be slow at times with action sequences spread a little thin, but it does have heart.  Will this film end up in your permanent Statham collection?  Maybe not.  And you may never need to see it again after the first viewing.  But if it’s on TV, it is worth checking out, if for no other reason than seeing Statham in another light.  Hopefully, some people throw more of these roles his way, along with the big-budget action franchises.

3 out of 5 stars (minus a star for misplaced action and one for the silly free apartment)