Retribution (2015 film)
Retribution (Spanish: El desconocido, "The stranger") is a 2015 Spanish action thriller film directed by Dani de la Torre. It was screened in the Venice Days section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival.[2]
| Retribution | |
|---|---|
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| El desconocido | |
| Directed by | Dani de la Torre |
| Written by | Alberto Marini |
| Starring | Luis Tosar Javier Gutiérrez Goya Toledo Elvira Mínguez Fernando Cayo Paula del Río Marco Sanz Luiz Zahera Ricardo de Barreiro María Mena Antonio Mourelos |
| Music by | Manuel Riveiro |
| Cinematography | Josu Inchaustegui |
| Edited by | Jorge Coira |
Production companies | |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | Spain France |
| Language | Spanish |
| Box office | $3,532,967[1] |
Plot
Carlos is a bank executive with two kids, Marcos and Sara, and a wife, Marta. His kids are getting ready to go to school and he is getting ready to drive them. They get in the car and Marcos brings a soccer ball with an autograph on it because he wants to prove to his friends that he really does have the autograph. After starting the car, Carlos receives an anonymous call in a phone that has been left inside and he is told a bomb has been placed under each of the car’s seats, set to explode if any of them leaves their seated position. The devices will be deactivated only once Carlos transfers a large sum of money into the caller's account.
He stops the car near the school to try to figure this out. Some kids from the school crowd around the car, wanting to see the ball with the autograph. Carlos can't let Marcos get out to show his classmates the ball, and his friends think he was lying. Carlos calls one of his coworkers and they say the mysterious man on the phone (who will be referred to as "the stranger") called them too. Carlos and his coworker meet up and discuss the situation, still in each of their cars, blocking traffic. While Carlos drives away, someone in his coworker’s car gets out and the car blows up. Carlos drives past the blown up car in horror, and the stranger orders Carlos to drive away quickly. Marcos is injured in the explosion and Carlos wants to drive him to the hospital, but the stranger won’t let him until he transfers the money.
Carlos calls his wife Marta, tells her about the situation, and tells her to go to the bank to transfer the money in her accounts to the stranger’s account. Carlos sits in his car near the bank. Marta shows up to the bank with another person.
On the phone, Carlos is stopped by police and is isolated by a bomb squad. He is then told that he must release Marcos and Sarah, but still believes they are in danger. After negotiation with them, they find out there is only a bomb in the front two seats. Marcos still injured by the explosion in his leg is released, but Sara jumps in the front not wanting to abandon Carlos.
After some time, Sara and Carlos are visited by a past client, named Lucas but claims to be Carlos's brother Pablo. He tells them he was the one extorting the money over the phone from Carlos for having his wife commit suicide after being coaxed into making bad investments that ruined her economically.
Lucas leaves and begins telling him over the phone that a separate bomb he showed them before will go off if Carlos doesn't make an escape to a location where more money can be sent to his account in 5 minutes. Sara and Carlos Hastily escape in spite of the behest of authorities until they reach a dock where Sara reluctantly accepts to leave for her safety.
Lucas returns to Carlos in the passenger seat and explains himself, Carlos then decides to drive the car into the water in order to escape the explosion. After driving into the water and swimming away, Carlos escapes and is resuscitated by paramedics and is later laid off from his bank job.
The final scene includes Carlos on the phone with the new employee in his previous managerial position telling him about a business opportunity, promptly hangs up the phone after the caller states how important family is to a business, hinting at the film's intended message.
Cast
- Luis Tosar as Carlos
- Javier Gutiérrez as El desconocido (The stranger)
- Goya Toledo as Marta
- Elvira Mínguez as Belén
- Fernando Cayo as Espinosa
- Paula del Río as Sara
- Marco Sanz as Marcos
- Luiz Zahera as Conductor (Driver)
- Ricardo de Barreiro as Víctor
- María Mena as Julia
- Antonio Mourelos as Ángel
- Jason Redshaw as David Park
Awards and nominations
| Awards | Category | Nominated | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| III Premios Feroz | Best Drama | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Dani de la Torre | Nominated | |
| Best Main Actor | Luis Tosar | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Javier Gutiérrez | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Elvira Mínguez | Nominated | |
| Best Trailer | Nominated | ||
| 30th Goya Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Alberto Marini | Nominated |
| Best Actor | Luis Tosar | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Elvira Mínguez | Nominated | |
| Best New Director | Dani de la Torre | Nominated | |
| Best Editing | Jorge Coira | Won | |
| Best Production Supervision | Carlos Pérez de Albéniz | Nominated | |
| Best Sound | David Machado, Jaime Fernández and Nacho Arenas | Won | |
| Best Special Effects | Isidro Jiménez and Pau Costa | Nominated | |
Remake
German remake Don't. Get. Out! (2018), directed by Christian Alvart,[3] was the first remake of the film.[4]
In 2017 it was announced that Liam Neeson will star in a remake, in the lead role.[5]
References
- "El desconocido". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- "'Retribution' ('El Desconocido'): Venice Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- Redacción (April 7, 2017). ""Steig. Nicht. Aus!": la versión alemana de "El desconocido"". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- Redacción (April 7, 2017). "Se rueda en Alemania el primer remake de 'El desconocido' de los tres previstos". Audiovisual 451 (in Spanish). Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- McNary, Dave (May 9, 2017). "Liam Neeson to Star in 'Retribution,' Remake of Spanish Thriller 'El Desconocido'". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
