An adult victim of childhood sexual abuse confronts the horrors of his past.
What is it that we want when it comes to revenge? How long does somebody hold onto their trauma and to what effect does it change a person’s life? “Retaliation” examines these questions with Malky (Orlando Bloom), a demolition worker who cares for his mother. Malky is a stoic person who seems to always be one second away from going into a fit of rage. It soon becomes obvious that Malky is withholding a troubling secret. The mystery slowly unravels as we continue to see the self-destructive patterns of Malky’s actions. We voyeuristically examine Malky handle his trauma in very intimate and private moments that reveal just how deep trauma can cut into a person’s soul. The film balances these moments by also showing his social interactions and the reaction of those outside of his private circle of trust where only he resides.
“Retaliation” is a bit of a slow burn but it allows us to fully examine Malky’s instability in his relationships. We are introduced to his girlfriend Emma (Janet Montgomery) in a very rough and intense sex scene. Malky seems to always have sex with Emma in an aggressive manner, lacking intimacy as he hardly looks her in the eyes. Their relationship is toxic in that Malky pushes her away but Emma’s love for him allows her to feel that he’s hiding something from her whenever he decides to push her away. This lack of intimacy and secret that Malky has is further explored in a raw and intense scene where Malky rapes himself with a wooden peg. These events shed light on Malky’s secret but also on his lack of intimacy. Sex isn’t a shared experience but rather a one-sided selfish activity to Malky. His relationship with his mother reveals the shame Malky fears of receiving from her. We constantly see, despite Malky’s rough exterior, how he will immediately tone himself down in an effort not to disappoint her. Even in her conversations with him, there is a sense of disappointment and contempt for the way he is. Malky’s anger is quelled by his mother as if he were still a little boy. His best friend Jo (Alex Ferns), who feels indebted to Malky for serving a jail sentence for him, constantly defends his short-tempered friend because he knows of his loyalty. Despite Malky’s shortcomings, when it comes down to the line, Jo knows Malky will care for those he truly trusts.
Malky attempts to get his revenge on the person who hurt him but is stopped several times by a priest who shares something similar to Malky’s pain. This priest can see right through Malky’s defense mechanisms and offers him help in the way he was helped to deal with his own trauma. These attempts fail at first and Malky continues down his destructive path but eventually, Malky sees the light on the other side. After being able to speak aloud what hides deep in his heart, Malky begins to seriously think of a better way to deal with his pain. The priest continues to help Malky even after a fistfight that the two shared. Malky ends up being be forced to choose between revenge and forgiveness. He must decide what path will bring him peace and what path will continue his self-destructiveness.
This film kept me on my toes and despite its slow burn, I still felt invested in the entire journey. Some of the raw and uncensored language and scenes are tough to watch for those who are uncomfortable by sexuality and self-inflicted pain. Although it does portray the severity and intensity of Malky’s emotional state. The film’s stance on revenge is clearly received as the film approached its ending. For the sake of surprise, I won’t reveal the end but it does leave you stunned, to say the least. “Retaliation” is a solid film that asks some very personal and spiritual questions about pain by examining Malky’s pain. The visceral aspect of some of the scenes definitely makes this memorable along with Orlando Bloom’s ability at expressing the repressed anger and trauma of Malky. This story is not for the light-hearted but will definitely make you ponder on the effects of holding grudges and holding secrets.
Now available on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD
