Redemption Day is a 2021 Action, Drama, Thriller movie directed by Hicham Hajji. This movie tells the story of a rescue mission to save hostages. The movie stars Gary Dourdan, Serinda Swan, Andy Garcia, Brice Bexter, and Martin Donovan.
The main character, Brad Paxton, is an ex-navy officer who is suffering from PTSD after a mission in Syria. Brad returns home and tries to spend time with his wife, Kate, and their daughter, Claire. Kate, who is an archeologist, goes to Morocco to excavate ancient ruins. She is accompanied by Jean Rashidi and his team, including Amir Jadid, a Moroccan citizen.
During the excavation, Kate and her team unknowingly cross the border into Algeria, and they are attacked by local gunmen. Kate, Jean, and Amir are taken hostage, while Jadid is let go. Brad receives the news of the kidnapping from Younes Laalej, a Moroccan government employee whom Brad had saved earlier in Syria. Brad rushes to Rabat to meet with Younes, and together they seek the aid of the American Embassy in Morocco.
The American Ambassador agrees to help, but wealthy businessman Tom Fitzgerald is against involving America in the hostage situation. Brad and Younes track down the location of the terrorist group in Algeria using the help of Morrocan intelligence. Jaafar El Hadi, the leader of the group, holds Kate hostage and demands a ransom of 10 million dollars.
Brad and Younes set out on the dangerous mission to rescue Kate and capture El Hadi. The movie portrays El Hadi as a wealthy business magnate who became radicalized after exposure to radical ideas. He recruits people to join his group, which is inspired by ISIS. The movie builds up the tension as Brad and Younes race against time to reach El Hadi before it’s too late.
The movie’s plot could have been more emotionally engaging if it explored the characters in more depth. The characters, especially Kate and Brad, had the potential to be more fleshed out emotionally. The movie spends too much time on the rescue mission without delving into the character’s emotions.
The portrayal of the terrorists also falls short of expectations. The character of El Hadi is not developed further, and his actions and behavior seem absurd. The movie attempts to show the brutality of the terrorists, but it doesn’t do justice to the characters.
In conclusion, Redemption Day is an action-packed thriller that tells a story of a rescue mission to save hostages. The movie builds up tension as it follows the characters on their dangerous mission. While the plot could have been more emotionally engaging, the movie is still entertaining and worth a watch.
