An ex-Marine goes on a quest for vengeance in this thriller from writer-director Javier Reyna.

Max is an ex-Marine who has returned home and has started a new life with his wife and daughter. Working as an attorney, Max is celebrating his latest win with his boss when he recognizes his brother Jerry’s voice. When he sees Jerry, Max is shocked when Jerry refutes him due to the company he is with. Jerry has been working undercover with the FBI to trap local crime boss Ellis, who after noticing Max and Jerry, has his suspicions. 

When Max discovers Jerry and his wife have been killed, he is also shocked to find his daughter has been taken. When he goes to the police, Detectives Santiago and Vasquez prove to be somewhat unreliable. This leads Max to do what it takes to find his daughter. Sporting a black hoodie and crafting his own knives, Max becomes a vigilante and while he sets out to get his daughter back, he may have an unlikely ally waiting in the wings.

While the plot sounds like a combination of Taken and Death Wish, Javier Reyna decided to try a different approach to the film’s narrative. Reyna delves into the mindset of two main characters who interconnect with each other and eventually find their paths crossed at a moment of crisis. 

The Twilight Saga and FBI: Most Wanted’s Kellan Lutz is great as the flawed protagonist, an ex-military officer turned attorney and later, vigilante who is determined to find out what happened to his daughter. He also sets out to avenge the deaths of his wife and brother. Where Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills had a special set of skills, so does Lutz’s Max, who is an ex-Marine who was sent to a mental institution (where he met his wife, a doctor at the facility). Lutz creates his own set of weapons, a set of small throwing knives and dressed in a black hoodie, decides to wreak havoc to those he knows is responsible. 

The other main character is that of Detective Santiago, played by Efren Ramirez. Ramirez, known for his comedic roles in films like Napoleon Dynamite and Employee of the Month, goes 180 as he is great in a serious role. A conflicted cop who is investigating a human trafficking ring, he has his suspicions involving Max’s daughter, he is constantly held back by his superiors. The moral compass gets the best of him and having a feeling about Max being the vigilante after the ring as well, with the great Jeff Fahey playing the crime boss responsible.

While Fahey is clearly in charge and brings in an old school style performance in the character of Ellis, his cronies are not exactly complete followers. They bring in a Gen-Z mindset that conflicts with the old school mindset of Ellis. There is a scene where we see Max captured and tortured by Ellis’ henchman that is very cringeworthy and yet there are times when Max unleashes his rage, he even manages to chop a messenger’s arm off in graphic form. The finale brings to mind a possible sequel, and if it happens, could be a good thing.

Due Justice may focus more on the dramatic elements of two main characters crossing paths, but it works to see both sides of the spectrum in terms of the law and vigilantism. Kellan Lutz and Efren Ramirez are the driving forces of the film and should a sequel happen, would love to see these two again to unleash their brands of justice.

WFG RATING: B+

Saban Films presents a Premiere Entertainment production in association with Al Bravo Films, BondIt Media Capital, and Quenaco Films. Director: Javier Reyna. Producers: Elias Axume, Al Bravo, Moctesuma Esparza, and HemDee Kiwanuka. Writer: Javier Reyna. Cinematography: Brandon Ruiz. Editing: Federico Krill Granados and Megan Noble.

Cast: Kellan Lutz, Efren Ramirez, Jeff Fahey, Cynthia Geary, Manu Intiraymi, Chelsea Lopez, Tonantin Esparza, Hallie Shepherd, Niko Foster, Raymond Power.

The film will be released in select theaters, On Demand, and Digital on November 24.