By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
As far as action thrillers go, this plods along slower than most, but its unique premise carries it across the finish line for a satisfying moviegoing experience. “Relay” derives its name from the Telecommunications Relay Service, which enables people with disabilities such as hard of hearing or inability to speak to make and receive phone calls. This is used in a creative way for this film that spices up an otherwise elementary storyline.
Living a dangerous and solitary life as a broker of payoffs between corrupt companies and former employees with harmful evidence of wrongdoing, Ash (Riz Ahmed) uses a clever method to remain anonymous to both parties. He only interacts via a telephone relay system with a relay operator conveying his messages. This makes it impossible to track since those calls are not recorded and the operators are prohibited from disclosing any information due to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
When a major corporation seeks to bury a report Sarah (Lily James) brings to their attention, showing potentially lethal side effects, she must retain the services of Ash for protection. Looking to nullify the threat to the company is a well-resourced team of mercenaries led by Dawson (Sam Worthington), who wants to find and neutralize Ash before a deal can be done. With the bad guys closing in, Ash may be forced to break his own meticulous rules to keep Sarah safe.
Known for his Oscar nominated 2016 film, “Hell or High Water,” English filmmaker David Mackenzie directs this suspense thriller. He does well accentuating a fresh concept and integrating it nicely with a rather bland plot that garners more interest than it normally would have received. People who have experienced relay calls will be pleased with his detailed accuracy in representing them authentically. Mackenzie takes his time building the tension, focusing more on character development initially of the two main players. In this way, he gives the film more of a paranoid espionage vibe than an action thriller.
Unfortunately, filmmaking errors and unresolved plot points undermine Mackenzie’s efforts, leading to minor nuisances that begin adding up to annoy viewers. Questionable motives, particularly of the antagonists, and predictability also contribute to flatten the climax a bit, making the major plot twist not so twisty. However, because of the focus on the main character’s development early on, Mackenzie is still able to maintain suspense and audience interest that make for a decent viewing experience.
British Pakistani Oscar nominated actor Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) is impressively talented, once again proving his capabilities of being a leading man. Without uttering a single word in the first several scenes of “Relay,” he brilliantly conveys a sense of purpose, strength, and goodness that immediately draws viewers’ interest. He has this quiet, yet compelling power, speaking more with his eyes than through actual speech. His performance alone elevates the quality of this production convincingly.
Lily James is a quality actress in her own right, and she does her job here, providing that damsel in distress type of performance. She harnesses pure innocence and naivete in her look and demeanor that appeals for audience support. Even when her character makes a boneheaded mistake, viewers will find themselves appealing to Ahmed’s character to forgive her and continue to keep her safe. Her performance begins to falter, however, during the final act of the film, showing her limitations as an actress.
Despite its flaws, this is a suspense thriller that gets the job done satisfactorily enough and will be forgotten about in less than a month. “Relay” may not be worth a trip to the theater, but it makes for a quality streaming option at home. If you’re hard up for a decent slow burn type of thriller with a unique concept, then go ahead.
This movie earns:
