Movie Review: 'Redeemer' Dials Up the Action with Extreme Prejudice!

LOS ANGELES - Noted Chilean director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza (The ABCs of Death, Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman) dials up the action and then some in "Redeemer," his latest collaboration with South American martial arts star Marko Zaror (Machete Kills).

Espinoza takes his fourth collaboration with Zaror to another level as he delves into the psyche of a killer who has some redeeming qualities. "Redeemer" tells the story of ex-hitman Pardo (Zaror) who seeks redemption for his sins by meting out violent justice on those who would prey upon the innocent. Known on the streets as the Redeemer, Pardo is a vigilante desperate for redemption, offering criminals the chance to ask forgiveness for their crimes or pay the ultimate price.

With a mix of compelling narrative and an anti-hero with vigilante justice on his mind, "Redeemer" could have easily turned into a bloodbath of epic proportions like so many others before it. But Espinoza brings some heart and depth to Pardo who metes out his own justice with a measure of righteousness and rage.

Thanks to a cast that bears out some of the realities of today's headlines about organized crime in Latin America, "Redeemer" plays out more than just a video game where the payoff is in the body count. It's simply a visual tour de force by Espinoza as he follows his formidable ex-hitman who is out for blood and justice.