Redemption (I) (2013) User Reviews

A Welcome Change Of Pace For Statham

[ActionFan-Reviews · 7/10 · 12 June 2013]

Now i'm a definite fan of Jason Statham. After reading the reviews of this film iv'e realized that no matter what this man does he will not please the critics. Whenever he does what he is good at(action movies), he is just one note and doesn't do anything else. When he tries something different like in this movie, he isn't good enough for a dramatic role.Well I for one enjoyed this film as a welcome change of pace as this is his most serious/dramatic role which I felt he did a good job.

The story is dark, gritty and down to earth as many war vets suffer psychological problems and as a result end up homeless or drug addicts.The movie is very character driven, layered which adds some needed depth to a Statham movie. He plays Joey Jones, a homeless war vet traumatized by his experiences and much of the story is about his character's experience's in the underworld of London. The movie feels authentic, the way its shot on the dark London streets and also reading that their was research done on Statham's part preparing for the role.It's good to see he can do a dramatic role plus use his action strengths and kick ass when he does.

Overall, If your expecting an all out action film maybe you should watch Safe instead. However, if you want to see a darker, grittier film more deep than your typical Statham film and welcome the change of pace. I'd give it a watch and see how you like it.

Overall: 7/10

Jason Statham Shines as a serious Actor

[zumaondeki · 7/10 · 30 June 2013]

Just finished watching "Redemption"/Hummingbird" and was most impressed with this movie as entertainment,I knew nothing about it except my favorite"Action Man"Jason Statham was in it so that was enough to gain my interest and I was not disappointed however it was a movie not in the usual style I expected of Jason Statham,after I got past the first fifteen minutes started to seriously get into the story. I won't go on with with all the details of the Plot,if you have taken the trouble to read my review you will know that information. This is a movie for anyone who enjoys good Drama/action with a small hint of romance and revenge also some redemption thrown in almost at the end, there I think I covered it all,was also impressed with Agata Buzek a new actress to me who is now on my Radar,her character of "Cristina" the Nun was very believable.I gave this film a seven because I enjoyed and was entertained which is why one goes to the movies.......

Interesting change of pace for the Stath

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 14 January 2014]

Given Jason Statham's recent track record in film, you might be forgiven for thinking that HUMMINGBIRD is yet another action-packed beat-'em-up, but it turns out to be something quite the opposite. The unusual title is a bit of a give-away, but this turns out to be a moody tale of redemption on the gritty streets of London.

Somewhat surprisingly, Statham shines as the down-on-his-luck former soldier reduced to a life of homelessness on the streets. This is a guy who rarely gets the chance to properly act, but who can be decent when given the opportunity. It helps that his story arc is well-handled, displaying sensitivity where needed and exploring the thematic elements with maturity.

Of course, there are one or two fight scenes tossed into the mix for the fans, but for the most part this is a thoughtful mood piece that tells an interesting tale and does so well. Congratulations to all involved.

More than an action movie

[quincytheodore · 10 May 2013]

It's been quite a long time, perhaps for the first, that I was engrossed with Jason Statham's movie, not due to the sheer number of cracked skulls, but with his character and the ones around him. Hummingbird is another entity compared to his usual martial arts filled carnage, although his trademark of hurting people certainly didn't disappear. Jason Statham as Joey Jones, takes on a deeper and more emotional role, which with the help of director Stephen Knight, surprisingly works well.

Agata Buzek as Cristina, a love interest role which couldn't be any farther than Jennifer Lopez's in Parker, is an altruistic nun who cares for Joey in his darker times. She is not the typical cinema beauty, yet she is humbly charming. Her acting is impeccable, often giving eerily sympathetic moments that could silence the audience. Statham benefits from her presence as well as he gives more to acting than the majority of his movies. That doesn't mean he will be getting awards soon, but it is a good direction on his part.

Cinematography utilizes London cityscape in a very rustic fashion, it's the opposite from the well-advertised side of the city. Streets and alleyways seem more in touch with reality, nothing grandiose about them, while prettier settings ooze some illusion of eminent cosmetic. With sleek scene transition between them, the movie appears to be very grounded. Story and script are great, despite having a few coincidental twists. It's somewhat a stark contradiction from the grimy visual, a bits of fantasy to escape the harsh prospect. Smart ways to evoke more mature theme is appreciated and it makes Hummingbird more subtly artistic.

Statham's character is a vigilante, a crowd-pleasing broken man whose past never lets him go. He does this part to his best, enough to at least differentiate him from his other tough guy role. However, people who purchase ticket to see Statham delivers knockout punches or staggering kick might be slightly disappointed. The action is brutal and punishing, but there's considerably fewer scenes from what might be expected from his type of movie, although these few are choreographed and done well in a more street brawl kind of way. Having a genuine martial artist couldn't hurt either.

The movie takes some time to get its rhythm, and while it's commendable for Statham to try this new change, he's still rough in acting department. That being said, Hummingbird is clearly superior than most of his movies. It doesn't rely simply on muscle, but it takes the audience to a more private look into these likable characters. I feel that the role of Joey Jones could be played by Jeremy Renner or Tom Cruise. If Jason Statham can continue in roles like this, he'd be bigger than just the guys who beats people up.

Rate 7.5/10

All the critics can *beep* off on this one.(Quik Review)

[mariogamer2000 · 7/10 · 1 July 2013]

*Warning. This review is only short, I don't like to write long reviews, so please don't hate this review because its short and everything in the film isn't summarized, thank you.

I'm a huge Jason Statham fan and when I first saw the trailer for this film I was a bit skeptical whether or not, he could pull a dramatic drama performance off. And after reading some of the reviews I wasn't putting my hopes up too much, when the credits showed up, I was shocked.

Jason Statham was excellent, he wasn't the best. But what a transformation from being a *badass action hero, into playing a dramatic war veteran. This movie rocked. There was plenty of great scenes in here, and you can really tell he tried to put on his best performance.You could really feel the emotions of what his character was going through. The directing was also good and the cinematography was also great at times. You could really feel the darkish atmosphere and the danger the homeless people were in. This was most definitely a powerful drama.

So if your a fan of Jason Statham and want to watch something different from him then I recommend this. But please don't expect to see another Transporter film, the class of this one is much higher then many of his previous films.

Im going to give Hummingbird(Or Redemption in the U.S) 3 1/2 Stars. (7/10)

*Hes still badass in this film.

Although it could of have been better and is far from perfect, but it was a joy just watching Statham take on this type of role.

Change of pace for Statham

[bougheyfamily · 6/10 · 22 April 2014]

I would fully expect a lot of Jason Statham fans to be disappointed with this movie, and those expecting the usual fast paced wall to wall action may feel a little let down. Credit to the star who seems to be churning out a lot of pictures to a standard formula these days, it doesn't seem to matter which side of the law the character he portrays is on, the audience seems to be rooting for him. Again, he's usually highly principled, honorable and of course hard as nails. Redemption takes a different approach, although some key elements remain. After a brief but brutal opening we find Statham as an ex military soldier with a checkered past, living the life of a bum on the street. After he suffers a beating at the hands of some street thugs, he fortuitously ends up hiding in an empty upscale apartment, the owner of which is away for 6 months. This was the only real part of the film that stretched credulity for me, in this day and age, the ability to live out the life he does albeit briefly, would I suspect be highly unlikely. Anyway, enough about that. After the young girl he shared a cardboard box goes missing, and he's able to turn his life around he gains some employment. While searching for the girl, he then becomes an enforcer for the Chinese underworld in London, a job that brings rich rewards, but troubles his conscience. Frequently revisiting the soup kitchen and Nun who runs it (an absorbing and interesting sub plot) he sets about trying to atone for his past life, save the girl, and make amends with his ex, and daughter who doesn't know him - hence the title of the movie. The acting is excellent, and Statham shows some real depth instead of the usual ass kicking dead pan delivery. I won't spoil the movie, but if you go in knowing that it's a slow burner, with layers of story, and believable if infrequent action you will probably enjoy it. I gave it 4 stars, a little generous maybe, but for a change of direction I liked it.

Fifty Coke Zeroes?......

[FlashCallahan · 6/10 · 27 July 2013]

Homeless and on the run from a court martial, Joey, an ex-special forces soldier navigating London's criminal underworld, seizes an opportunity to assume another man's identity.

He then goes on the seek the killers of his friend and sort of surrogate daughter, whilst trying to romance a Nun, and work for the China Town based Gangsters....

On first look, yes, you would automatically think this is another Statham, action movie.

Even I was fooled that this was another beat em up type film, loosely based on his awful movie of last year 'Safe'.

But its a proper drama, albeit with fights galore, but Statham really shows his range in this, and kudos to him for going back to the roots he had with Ritchie before the Transporter movies made him a living genre.

Its not the best movie in the world and there are plot holes galore, but the way London is shown in this is like something I've never seen before, you either get gritty London ala anything with Danny Dyer in directed by Nick love, or the polished, trendy London, as seen in Basic Instinct 2, and Welcome To The Punch.

Its not going to be on anyone's best of the year list, and I doubt I'll ever see it again, but its nice to see Statham go for something different.

Redemption

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 22 November 2013]

The first 20-30 minutes will make or break the movie for you. Those who expect a crazy pace and action non stop, will be disappointed for sure. It is more than likely that people will say/write, that Statham should stick to action roles. But I think it's a good thing he tries to evolve a bit. He has the action thing down now, why not go out and dip/try something else? The drama part does work entirely as is true with the rest of the story, but it does have something to tell, whether you agree with the arguments or not, it is different! And after the initial (slow) beginning of the movie, it does have some action to deliver too. But is there "Redemption" (as the German title of the movie suggests)?

what the heck?

[mulder_dimi · 1/10 · 16 July 2013]

I'm really sorry for everyone who enjoyed this movie, but it's just not what people say it is.

The scenario was plain awful. We're going from a military based persona to a homeless, drug abusing alcoholic. then he becomes a thief and just happens to end up in an apartment where the owner happens to be away for 6 months. then he finds a letter that happens to have a credit card and a pincode and he decides to stick around for a couple of months using some bullsh*t excuse to his new neighbours and everyone eats it. Then he befriends a nun that had strong personal issues herself and after the death of his 'girlfriend' whom he shared a cardboard box with when he was homeless, he goes for revenge. So he kills someone at the end to get redemption for a family he killed in afghanistan. oh yeah, and has a short fling with the nun because they are supposed to be something like kindred spirits. I mean as far as realism goes, i'm prepared to ignore some aspects when i'm seeing a movie but this was just too much. The story about redemption had something to it, but could have been brought much better in a different context with more cohesive elements. Scenes that explain the personal issues were way too long to keep me interested in them, as far as how much crap someone can take and i felt the movie used too many controversial points in trying to keep the attention of the viewer, which in my case totally backfired because it lacks credibility. As far as acting, i thought jason statham was good in playing a more emotional role and i really thought the ending scene where he cries is very convincing. Too bad the scenario and everything else just made it redundant. Could have been, should have been better... If you want to see Statham in his better roles in a britisch context, i suggest you watch lock, stock and two smoking barrels or snatch. this just isn't it....

The Stath goes dramatic

[freemantle_uk · 7/10 · 30 June 2013]

Socially conscious films are nothing new and there are present in all genres. Jason Statham's latest effect is a movie that wears its themes and political issues very much on its sleeve and marks a very different turn for The Stath.

Thousands of people are homeless on the streets of London, two of them are Northern girl Isabel (Victoria Bewick) and Joseph 'Joey' Smith (Statham), an ex-special forces soldier who has gone A.W.O.L. from the army and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Affected by drugs and alcohol, Joey is separated from Isabel, when they're attacked by thugs. Eventually, Joey ends up in a luxury apartment, where the owner happens to be away in New York for a year. With his new found safety net, Joey sets out to rebuild his life and try to find Isabel with the help of a Polish nun, Cristina (Agata Buzek). Shortly, Joey finds out that Isabel has entered into the world of prostitution.

Over the course of a year Joey ends up becoming an enforcer for Chinese gangsters, finds out that Isabel was murder by a client, forcing him to go on a mission of vengeance and he becomes closer to Cristina, a woman who has her own personal demons.

For those who are expecting a Statham action fest you will be very disappointed. Redemption is a crime drama, not an action thriller. There are only three fight scenes in the movie. They are very well shot, choreographed sequences with a brutal violence (a man even has his arm broken): but these sequences are very infrequent. French audiences will be particularly disappointed considering the movie is called Crazy Joe in their nation.

Redemption is Steven Knight's first movie as a director and he shows confidence behind the camera. As already stated he can handle fight sequences effectively. He's also very effective when showcasing a bleak world of violence and sex. Knight was expertly able to juxtapose the affluences of the Convent Garden area (home of the Royal Opera House) to the back alleys of the same area where homeless are out of sight and out of mind. Knight also shows us how people can disappear or be forgotten within a metropolis and how some people are able to reinvent themselves, due to the anonymity that a major city can offer.

The grim and gritty setting and the use of the sex trade/human trafficking shows how Redemption shares some similarities to Knight's previous movie as a writer, Eastern Promises. Even the basic set up of finding out what happened to someone who ended up being a sex worker is similar. Adding to that theme the three major female characters all have a tragic story of sexual abuse of some form, keeping it ever present with the social realistic tone of the movie.

While Knight's direction was excellent at setting up the divide in wealth and poverty, his writing and dialogue was very hard hitting and unsubtle. This was particularly the cast of Cristina because of conflicts of faith and Christian duties while still accepting money and aid from a man who earns it from dubious means. Even the themes of guilt and redemption are thrown into your face with the title: the British title (Hummingbird) is more subtle.

Another issue involving the screenplay is due the movie taking place during a whole year end up juggling three different plots at same which occasionally overlapped. It was tough to balancing act and at times the pieces did not fully fit together.

Knight also has some unsubtle digs against the current state of the British economy, having jabs against the cuts as well against banker's bonuses (though people on the Right in the UK hates bankers).

We all know Statham as a major action star and he rarely ventures outsides that genre. Redemption sees The Stath attempt a more serious, darker role and he cannot let the fists do the talking. It is most likely he was cast to ensure the movie got funding, yet Statham does deliver a solid performance, being silent and stoic, being able to offer some of his sardonic wit when needed.

Redemption is a bleak movie with very occasional moments of wit and action. It is a solid effort from Knight who shows confidence behind the camera. It is a refreshing change from Statham and this movie that shows even The Stath can cry.

Please visit www.entertainmentfuse.com

Torture

[FireStation46 · 1/10 · 17 January 2021]

When you watch hoping it starts to make sense and stay with it until the end to find out it sucks

Don't mind the wining folks: this is a good movie

[regg147777777 · 8/10 · 28 June 2013]

I never write reviews, but this time I was compelled to...

Don't bother reading the negative reviews from people moaning about how they miss Jason Statham being chased in a car or beating the crap out of everyone. If you want that and that only, then just go watch Transporter I, II and III.

If you want to see something different and refreshing, then simply don't miss this one. The story is good, there is plenty of action, and developed characters.

With a closed mind, expecting to see yet another copy of Jason's previous work, you'll be disappointed. But with an open mind, you will enjoy watching this very much.

This change of plan is simply the best thing Jason has done yet. He's convincing and manages to create quite some depth in his character. AND he still kicks ass. I can't see another actor having pulled this mixture of action, drama and psychology off better then Jason. He actually played a convincing 'human being' that has to take a hit like everyone, and he did it very well.

Amongst the better action/drama flicks of 2013.

8/10

The subtle humor, the flashy action as well as the dramatic portions of the film provide a beautiful and coherent whole.

[peterp-450-298716 · 7/10 · 7 May 2014]

Statham goes up in my eyes after seeing this movie. He plays the role of a former Special Force soldier who's suffering from PTS and hides, after committing a war crime (as I could deduce), in anonymous London. He plays it perfectly and convincingly. It surely isn't an action movie but rather a morbid drama about how someone, with a self-destructive attitude, gets his act together, goes of to search for his companion and ultimately takes revenge. Furthermore he suddenly helps a compassionate nun who has helped him selflessly in all those years.

Statham is seen as part of the new generation of hard-hitting action heroes that are a repayment of the old-school veterans. And he makes a difference by playing in this film. Imagine a Van Damme, Stallone, or even worse a Schwarzenegger in this role. That would be a ridiculous and unbelievable performance. But Statham fits in this. The scarce action scenes are sometimes raw and realistic, but are not authoritative and are not central as in his other films.

I was fascinated from the start till the end. The performance of Agata Buzek, the Polish nun, was played overwhelmingly. And she is far from ugly if you look at the pictures on IMDb. She has a natural look and contrasts with that beauty ideal from Hollywood.

The subtle humor, the flashy action as well as the dramatic portions of the film provide a beautiful and coherent whole. And that was greatly appreciated by me.

The moment Joey actually confesses his story to the nun, was for me the most important moment in the film. Then he returns to his previous existence as a nobody in the gutter so that he's no longer lethal to others. Strong! Prime Choice! Intriguing! Compelling!

More reviews at http://opinion-as-a-moviefreak.blogspot.be/

How the good and evil influence each other.

[risti-irawan · 3/10 · 7 December 2013]

Hummingbird - One more movie which sells Jason Statham as the main point.

Still the same with the other Jason Statham movie genre, which is action movie. This time he did not act as a good-hearted man, but rather a war criminal, named Joey Jones.

Someone killed his friend, then he wanted to demand justice or rather, revenge. He also has a friend, a nun named Christina, played by Agata Buzek ---- not a typical beauty as the main character the movie, but her acting is qualified. Among criminals like a devil with nun like an angel, who are more affected?

When escaping from renternir, he fell off into elite apartments. The apartment occupants were out of the country, so it is free to use any existing facilities to launch a revenge business and get a lot of money by working in the mafia. (What a very lucky incident!)

Overall, I think Steven Knight (the director) to bring tension (which should exist), and do not focus on establishing story lines, like "what exactly are you saying?" Many characters and side stories that are not deepened, so it just feels like "ornament" that cluttered.

If I may say, this movie has 3 stories focus:

1. The first focus is revenge. Difficult to understand the intensity of Joey in revenge if only for the sake of his "share of cardboard". Considering this is the final destination Joey, is supposed relationship Joey-Isabel given background stronger.

2. The second focus is Joey relationship with Christina. It is clear that the relationship between Joey and Christina became the highlight of the main portion of the film. Thank you for the superb acting of Agata Buzek. While the acting of Statham himself does not seem really interested in the nun.

3. The third focus is to get more money for his family. Why do so after a year of new Joey hiding? Yet look how he so longed for children (and for some reason is not his wife?!). Although it gives a lot of money, why Joey remains determined to be "waste", whereas he could be a mafia and do other dirty work? Roughly speaking, why he did not choose to die? If he is afraid of death, why he does not seem afraid to die during the movie?

The core of this film is how good and evil meet and influence each other. As Joey character who looks like man without integrity, where he chose to live as a vagrant than death by a court decision. How he was willing to demand justice, but at the same time as the perpetrators of injustice. The film's title was changed from "Hummingbird" to "Redemption".

Seeing the weakness of the story in this film, it is unlikely to get a positive critique of the critics.

For me, the score is 4/10.

Better than I expected.

[0U · 23 February 2020]

Redemption isn't quite as interesting as it wants to be and is somewhat unfocused, but thanks to a surprisingly ambitious screenplay and one of Jason Statham's better performances, it works as a perfectly watchable thriller.

A different movie and role for Statham. Nothing that will change the way he's viewed but I liked and and worth watching. I say B

[cosmo_tiger · 7/10 · 16 July 2013]

"I'm looking for someone, her name is Isabel. I've come to save her." Joey (Statham) is a homeless ex special forces soldier on the run from a court martial. When he stumbles on a chance to change who he is he takes it. When someone he knows comes up missing he has to walk the line between who he was and who he wants to be. Since this is a Statham movie I had an expectation going in. I was expecting another Transporter type movie, since that is basically all he does. I am a fan of his but who's gonna argue that. The first half hour made it seem like a different movie for him, then he became a driver/hit-man and I thought...here we go again. For the most part though this was a different movie and role for him and he did a pretty good job. This is nothing amazing and won't really change the way he is viewed but for once this isn't just another Transporter type movie. I liked it, but again I am a Statham fan. Overall, a different type of movie for him and worth seeing. I give it a B.

A good emotionally driven Jason Statham film

[KineticSeoul · 7/10 · 18 August 2013]

I read some negative reviews about this movie. It's a film that tries to combine emotionally driven drama, with thrills and action. And I must say this film does deliver the goods for the most part. I personally think Jason Statham is a good action star, perhaps even great. Although he plays a character with similar demeanor in most of his movies. It does work and he brings that badass charisma like always. Redemption is no exception, the plot is about a broken down man that is trying to atone and find justice. In a harsh city area in London, and fights for what he believe to be good. Even if he has to join a Chinese mafia to do so. And during this process, it shows the bonding and relationship with a nun that helps out and runs a soup kitchen for the homeless. You know the saying opposites attract? Well that applies to this film. This is a dark and harsh movie that takes place during the night time mostly. And it really does a fluent job of bringing out the gritty and nasty side of some people and what they are capable of doing. It's a compelling and haunting movie that absorbed me into the situation and setting. And found myself emotionally invested in this film...Well at least for the first half. It would have been a standout film if it kept the momentum from the first half. The fights aren't over the top or crazy but it brings out the realism and believability. Although it could have used a bit more work on it, even if the fight sequences are very few. Jason Statham did a fine job of bringing out the psychologically and emotionally damaged ex-soldier. He might not be a actor with range but he gets the job done really well. As long as the story and direction of the film fits him. This film also ends in the right note. Overall this film is very well worth seeing. And is a great rental.

7.3/10

Different than expected

[magicianhumphrey · 7/10 · 30 November 2023]

This is very watchable, it interesting and engrossing to watch with some really good storyline that's different from your typical Statham movie. I liked it and felt like the ending was fulfilling in quite wholesome ways. The acting was on point. This film has many layers, showing a large range of characters, from gangsters to the homeless, soldier to businessman. Statham seemed more human and vulnerable than most of his movies. It wasn't too long and didn't drag on at all. I like the way it focused on the main character doing the right things to the best of his ability and also making up for his past shortfalls. Maybe in the eyes of God or just to be a good man in general.

Statham is good, violence is decent, drama is alright, movie is OK.

[Finfrosk86 · 6/10 · 24 September 2015]

After I saw Wild Card, which has some of the most awesome fight-scenes ever, I thought maybe, just maybe this one too has fighting gold in it. But no. Well, it has some fighting, but not nearly the same caliber as Wild Card. (I knew Corey Yuen wasn't involved so I did not expect the violence to be that good, but I hoped)

This more of a drama really, but with some action/violence sprinkled in. Actually it's a pretty decent movie. Jason Statham has this screen presence, he is just entertaining to watch. Also his fighting style is very cool.

Hummingbird/Redemption doesn't reinvent anything, but it does what it tries to do, pretty well. It has a couple of great moments, but mostly it's OK, you know? Had IMDb had half stars, this would be a 6.5 for me.

Overall the movie is entertaining and kind of interesting, but it just lacks a little something something to make it really good.

Fairly lacklustre thriller with the odd bit of gold here and there

[jimbo-53-186511 · 5/10 · 1 August 2014]

Former Afghanistan soldier Joey (Jason Statham) is living rough and is on the run following a court marshall. Joey is at an all time low and spends most of his time getting drunk and generally being a nuisance to people. However, when Joey discovers that a woman that he was very close to has been killed, he gets his act together and makes it his mission to find out who killed this woman. At the same time, Joey has also assumed the identity of another man in order to make it more difficult for him to be tracked down.

With this film, like many others, I think that how much you enjoy this film will ultimately depend on how believable you find the characters, their actions, and the scenarios that they find themselves in. The problem with this film is that a lot of what you see just isn't believable. Joey breaks into a random guy's apartment who; 1) Isn't in - convenient? 2) Happens to be away in New York for a few months - doubly convenient? 3) Joey seems to be able to waltz in and out of the apartment without any of the neighbours noticing or questioning who he is 4) The apartment owner's bank card and PIN arrive whilst he's away - yes it's possible but again it's terribly contrived. This is only for starters;

Joey is clearly suffering from some sort of post traumatic stress disorder from his time in Afghanistan (which is understandable) and it shows that Joey occasionally suffers from flashbacks when he is attacked or when he goes to attack someone - this is good in a way as it helps to understand Joey's character, but the writing is inconsistent - sometimes his PTSD is ignored and he can go on killing or attacking loads of baddies without any issue and then now and again he'll have flashbacks. I just found that this was either ignored or adopted in order to suit the narrative. We have a nun who gets drunk and offers herself on a plate to Joey - I suppose it's good for 'surprise' value, but again isn't believable.

Die Hard Statham fans may be a bit disappointed with this film as it isn't as action packed as some of his other outings. The lack of action wasn't a problem for me, but what was a problem was the largely boring and uninvolving story - there was no tension, no suspense, no action, no... well nothing really. It took a ridiculous amount of time to get going and by the time it did I had pretty much lost interest.

The film's saving grace was the way it ended; when Joey is talking to the nun Cristina (Agata Buzek) and he explains that he's a lethal weapon that hurts a lot of people when he's sober and that he drinks in order to make himself weaker - that scene was beautiful. It does mean that we understand his character and it explains why he was so passive at the start, but for me it was all a case of being too little too late. Statham played another likable character and his monologue at the end showed he was a good guy - although giving his ex and kid a load of money and then buggering off seemed a bit shallow and seemed like he was taking the easy way out - wouldn't it have been better to have seen him reconcile with his ex and his kid?

Hummingbird isn't your standard Statham film and therefore I applaud everyone involved for giving Statham the chance to take on a complex character and for allowing him an opportunity to show that he is far more capable than many people give him credit for. I personally felt that this was one of his better performances (admittedly that's not saying much), but I really felt he was much better in this film than he has been in many of his other films. Let's just hope he gets some really good material to work with one day.

"I was alive again for one summer."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 24 January 2021]

What bothered me about the set up for this movie was the idea that former Sergeant Joseph Smith (Jason Statham), AWOL from the military because of his wartime experience, allowed himself to deteriorate to the point of living as a homeless person, and even more so, to allow himself to be beat up by street thugs rousting the rest of the homeless for money and drugs. That just didn't seem to fit the profile I would have expected for someone with his background and experience. Now I know a lot of ex-military wind up on drugs and homeless, but I wouldn't have expected that with Joey's skill set, which he wound up putting to good use once he left the alley on a mission of revenge for his murdered friend. The rest of the story plays out along the lines of a somewhat typical Statham flick, a bit light on the violence one might expect, and with an atypical romantic angle thrown in. Not to be prudish, but it seems like some film makers will take any means available to break down the bond people of faith may have by resorting to moral relativism and making it look acceptable to break vows. The finale as well seemed to take a disjointed turn when after throwing Max Forrester (Christian Brassington) off the roof, a city wide manhunt failed to locate Smith sleeping one off in the gutter, but Cristina (Agata Buzek) found him with no effort at all, right about the time needed to close out the story. With surveillance choppers and an army of police in hot pursuit, one could surmise that Smith's freedom would remain short lived, unless of course, a sequel takes up the chase to find him on the run and defying common sense once again.

Poor movie, Good Statham

[dijkjelle · 3/10 · 6 July 2013]

Okay, where to begin?

First I would like to say that I've seen the movie before reading some user reviews on IMDb and I'm a bit disappointed that some users vote this movie 10/10.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, and would like to see a good movie, I recommend you pick a different movie.

This movie lacks focus, action, story and basically everything. The movie begins vague, there are no exciting scenes and everything what happens in this movie is just pure fiction.

Statham hides in a random house where he lives until October, He uses the car of the owner of the house. In the end, Statham kills a man he wanted to kill the entire movie by throwing him of a balcony (in front of the view of many people) and he just runs away and gets away with it..

The beginning, middle and end of the movie is very weak. The performance of Statham is the only thing which is decent to watch. But on the other hand, Statham plays the same role in every single movie so it's not a big of a deal.

To summarize:

Story: Poor Music: Poor Excitement: Poor

3/10

Mixing Tones

[billygoat1071 · 8/10 · 31 May 2013]

Once someone see Jason Statham's name and face on the promotional materials, they will immediately think Hummingbird is another action film where the star runs around the city fighting bad guys. If you came expecting it to be like The Transporter or any typical Statham feature, it would be either disappointing or otherwise surprising. The plot is more of a Neo-Noir drama about a man who lives in the rotten side of society and faces real consequences. The film is unbalanced in handling two of its tones, but the context hits the right note in the end. Hummingbird has a better way to tell the story but it's already a fascinating film to watch.

The story is obviously about redemption, and as a Statham film it should have fistfights to show his enemies who's boss. But instead his character here troubles facing his demons and has to commit crimes to get what he needs. It's a much interesting story about people who have to deal with the unfair reality and beat it off with their skills. It surely has punching but they are used for torture rather than exciting action set pieces, though they may still remind you of a standard action film. The film suffers of balancing between tones. Example is the opening feels totally different from the rest of the movie. It looks like a complete thriller until it randomly jumps to art-house crime drama. Probably, it's a set up for the ones who came for the action by the main actor's existence in the film, but it goes again whenever Joey beats up someone for his job. Maybe the problem is these scenes are not grim enough. They should have shown an uglier depiction of violence.

The best parts are when it simply keeps the characters into their gloomy lives. Letting everyone understand the protagonist's motivation of being a Robin Hood. Jason Statham didn't standout much. His fighting is still impressive, though our familiarity to his moves kind of glosses the scenes that are supposed to be uneasy to watch, but his natural film personality buys the character, giving awareness to the choices he make and guilt he receives. The real talent that shines here is Agata Buzek, who genuinely presents her character's contrasting traits.

Hummingbird is a strange film with a classic kind of story, but it's the sort of strange that is rarely seen in cinema today. It's sort of hard to find the right type of audience to get appealed to this. It was all drama, then suddenly has fighting scenes that are supposed to be dark yet becomes the other way around. In other parts, it has an engaging exploration of the characters' bleak little world. The filmmaking is as magnificent as it needs and the performances are quite gripping. It still deserves a better portrayal of its conflicts and a set of tones that could decently fit together. In the end, it's a worth seeing change from the genre and the main actor.

A different Statham movie, but enjoyable nonetheless...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 18 August 2013]

"Redemption" (aka "Hummingbird") is a step in a new direction for Jason Statham. And whether or not it is good, well of course that is an individual assessment. The change is that he is not playing the stereotypical character in his previous movies, there is something more deep and also dark to this character and this development. And the movie is more driven by his character than of the action in the movie.

I, personally, did like it, and found it a nice change of pace for a Statham movie. Of course, I was expecting the usual amount of action, fights and gunshots, but still this movie was enjoyable - especially because he did pull of this character and portrayed it well.

The story is about Joey (played by Jason Statham) who has returned from the war, and unable to cope with things he has sought comfort in alcohol and is living on the streets. Here he gets by with help and meals from a local Christian help organization. His friend is taken from him and this spurns Joey to clean up his act and get it together. However, he ends up working for a Chinese gang, doing all their dirty work. And when his friend is found dead in a river, Joey seeks out whom is responsible and wants revenge.

Storywise, then it is not as action-packed or driven by the adrenaline and action as we know from the prior movies. "Redemption" is more of a character- and story-driven movie, and it is done quite nicely. Because the story is well-told and good, and also the characters are detailed, unique and interesting.

For a Jason Statham movie, this is a step in a new direction. Whether or not you like it, well that is up to you, of course. I, however, can only recommend that you do watch it if you are a fan of Statham and his movies.

Hollywood just can't help themselves

[spikenard222 · 1/10 · 10 October 2015]

You know why I am giving this film one star? Because the creators of this film, in true Hollywood fashion, just can't help but show us yet another nun have a sexual affair. After Christina and Joey kiss, I thought the filmmakers might actually do something different, you know, like respect Christianity and show the characters come to their senses. But of course not, how silly of me. True devotion to Christ cannot ever, EVER, be shown in a Hollywood film. Sister Christina *of course* has to have a background of sexual abuse, because no one would ever *really* join a religious order without having "issues," right? Life just isn't complete unless one has sex, right? I mean, we can't *possibly* ever see Christians, and *especially* Catholic priests and nuns, actually living faithfully to Christ, right? Of course Sister Christina has to give in to temptation, because no one can resist sexual intimacy for a transcendent calling, right? Because sex is love, right? So if Christina and Joey have sex, then it's true love, right?

But of course, why did I ever expect godless producers to produce anything but godless results? It simply couldn't compute in the Hollywood head that they could have made this film *without* the fling in the bedroom with all its emotional violins, and it might have actually been a decent (if very slow) film. Silly me again, thinking you can make a movie without depicting everyone as conflicted, cynical, and downright hypocritical.

Amazing how one scene can ruin a whole movie.