Gary J Hewitt’s The Defender pretty much delivers what it promises on the tin. This is a story we’ve seen time and time again. If someone described a movie about a vigilante with a troubled past, taking the law into their own hands, already your mind is swarming with titles.
However, the plot isn’t necessarily the issue, there’s a reason the subgenre is used so often, people enjoy it – and you can certainly make it your own. After all, John Wick is different from Death Wish and both differ again from British approaches like Harry Brown. The problem is, that everything in this movie is simply competent. There’s nothing that grants it individuality or makes the film stand out amongst its peers.
A thriller without the thrills
The pacing is somewhat one note and a lot of the scenes tend to linger past last orders, making it (for the most part) a thriller without the thrills. The Scottish setting – as well the recordings from the mother – do give things a bit more steam and kudos to the acting chops of Sasha Macpherson. Unfortunately, they could have perhaps shined brighter within a film with more substance.
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