Antonio Banderas goes silent as he seeks revenge in the latest film from action auteur Isaac Florentine.
Frank Valera has been dedicated to his job as a top lawyer who’s known for his fast-talking ways. At times, his job would get in the way of his life with his wife Sue and daughter Olivia. However, on the night where Frank missed her daughter’s recital, Frank gets news he never would expect to hear. Sue and Olivia were found dead, victims of a murder. Confronted by his now former father-in-law, Frank begins to search for clues as to who killed his family.
After numerous failed attempts from the police, Frank even finds punishing himself by competing in underground brawls at a local bar. One night, Frank comes upon a book from Marcus Aurelius, mentioning the ways of the stoic. Deciding to train his body by taking up martial arts and taking a vow of silence, Frank vows he will speak again when he discovers who has killed Sue and Olivia. During his quest, he finds a reliable ally in local nurse Sheila, who also fights her own demons. Together, they are determined to find who has killed Sue and Olivia.
Antonio Banderas is truly making the most of his recent surge as an elder action hero type, recently showcasing what he is capable of in films like Security and Gun Shy, not to mention his hilarious action turn in The Expendables 2. However, this is perhaps one of his toughest action-orientated roles yet because of the intense physical training his character endures and the fact he does it in a silent manner. And Banderas truly does an excellent job in the pivotal role of Frank, whose gone from having it all to having nothing and seeking redemption within himself and for his deceased family.
Paz Vega brings some ample support in the role of Sheila, a local nurse who finds Frank after his first skirmish under his newfound meaning to seek revenge. She becomes the closest person he can trust in his mission of revenge while Karl Urban plays a police officer who attempts to help Frank until a certain point where he can no longer assist. Jonathan Schaech makes the most of his limited screen time as the police detective in charge of Frank’s case.
Director Isaac Florentine not only brings his style of filmmaking to the table but the filmmaker, who is also a martial artist, brings his skills in front of the screens as Frank’s karate teacher while the film’s fight choreographer, Tim Man, would play Frank’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher in the intense training sequence of the film. Banderas handles himself quite well in the film’s action sequences, showing the dedication he brings to the film.
Acts of Vengeance may seem like a generic action film title, but Antonio Banderas really brings it both showcasing his skills as an elder action role type and doing it all while keeping silent. Isaac Florentine continues his streak as a polished action film director with this film.
WFG RATING: B
Millennium Films present a Nu Boyana Film Studios Production. Director: Isaac Florentine. Producers: Les Weldon and Yariv Lerner. Writer: Matt Venne. Cinematography: Yaron Scharf. Editing: Paul Harb, Ivan Ivanov, and Irit Raz-McBride.
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Paz Vega, Karl Urban, Jonathan Schaech, Cristina Serafini, Lillian Blankenship, Robert Forster, Isaac Florentine, Tim Man.
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