Revenge is Hers
With lottery fever gripping the nation Karen (Cynthia Watros) and her niece, Ashlee (Danika Yarosh), make a quick stop at the convenience store on the way home. Unfortunately the place is hit by a gang of robbers who bundle Ashlee into their car as they flee but toss her out a little way down the road. With Ashlee seriously hurt and maybe paralyzed Karen does her best to help Det. Frank Neaman (Brian Krause), even identifying one of the robbers. But when the guy she identified gets off thanks to a phoney alibi and still hurting from an unsolved crime years ago which saw her brother murdered Karen takes it upon herself to get justice.
As I often say, made for TV movies often appear to take their lead from the big screen and for me "Retribution", also known as "Fatal Justice", does the same. Now in truth the storyline which sees Karen taking it upon herself to get justice could remind you of many a movie but for me I kept thinking of the Jodie Foster movie "The Brave One" especially as there is a scene in this where Det. Neaman tells Karen that there is nothing he can do to get the truth out of the guy she identified.
But it has to be said that there is a different side to "Retribution" thanks to Karen being haunted by the murder of her brother many years earlier. What is suggested is that maybe when the police didn't solve that crime she went and dealt with it herself, something she is prepared to do again as we see her obtain a gun and confront the man she identified. And I tell you what; this side helps to lift what initially looks like it is going to be just another TV movie with a predictable side.
In truth when it comes to the acting "Retribution" is full of what you expect when it comes to TV movies. That means we have a not too unpleasant cast delivering not the greatest of characters and often over acting in order to try and make some sort of impact. For example when Karen picks up the gun she holds it like it is some sort of poisoned chalice with some sort of power over her.
What this all boils down to is that "Retribution" is for the most a typical made for TV movie with many of the usual flaws and character types. But it does have this interesting dangerous woman side which sucks you in which is not something I tend to say about TV movies.
