Retribution is a 2023 American action thriller film directed by Nimród Antal and written by Chris Salmanpour. The film stars Liam Neeson, Noma Dumezweni, Lilly Aspell, Jack Champion, Embeth Davidtz and Matthew Modine. It is the third remake of the 2015 Spanish film El desconocido, which follows a man (Neeson) who gets trapped in his car after receiving a threat that it will explode should he get out.
The film was released in the United States on August 25, 2023. It received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Neeson's performance but criticism for its unoriginality.
In the film, Matt Turner (Neeson), a bank executive, is driving his two children to school when he receives a phone call from an unknown assailant who claims to have planted a bomb in his car. The caller orders Matt to follow a series of increasingly dangerous instructions, or the bomb will explode. Matt must race against time to save his family and uncover the identity of the caller.
The film has been compared to other "trapped car" thrillers, such as Speed and Phone Booth. However, it also has some elements of revenge thriller, as Matt becomes increasingly determined to find the person who is targeting his family.
Overall, Retribution is a well-made and suspenseful film, but it does not break any new ground. Neeson gives a solid performance, and the film is directed with skill. However, the plot is somewhat predictable, and the film does not offer anything new to the "trapped car" subgenre.
