There Are No Saints is distributed by Altitude Films, directed by Alfonso Pineda Ulloa and starring Karla Souza Tim Roth Tommy Flanagan Shannyn Sossamon Ron Perlman. The film is available on all digital platforms from 27th June 2022.
Synopsis
A man nicknamed “the Jesuit,” is imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. When his wife is murdered and his son kidnapped and taken to Mexico, he devises an elaborate and dangerous plan to rescue his son and avenge the murder.
Review
As far as gritty action films go There Are No Saints definitely hits the mark, a full on gritty action packed ride with an underlying tone of revenge running through the film.
José María Yazpik stars as an ex hitman nicknamed “The Jesuit” fresh from prison after being sent away for a crime he didn’t commit, now released and looking to make amends and reconnect with those who were once close to him, one person in particular is his son who he is hoping to rebuild the bond that was lost.
The film takes a dark turn as a dangerous Cartel head comes after The Jesuit for revenge and targets the ones he holds dear, his estranged wife and son. They unfortunately murder his wife and then kidnap his son and take him to Mexico, this awakens the hidden hatred within the ex hitman and he goes on the hunt vying for revenge.
The film is pretty much a cliché in terms of action films, ex hitman goes on a revenge filled rampage to take down the bad guy king pin, yes I’ve seen it before but the film is an enjoyable watch for something you can just switch your brain off for a chilled put watch.
As a director I haven’t come across Alfonso Pineda Ullo’s work and to be fair as an introduction I felt the film worked well, yes I think the concept has been done before but with that genre basically being my go to film genre it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The film overall is a hard hitting gritty thrill ride full of testosterone and bravado, José María Yazpik does a good job playing the loveable rogue main character who basically carries the film with te strength of his character, Ron Pearlman expertly portrays the twisted bad guy it would have been better if there was more of him in the film to build up more of a story between the two characters.
Verdict
There Are No Saints was a compelling watch though the concept is something we’ve seen before. It’s well executed and ties up with a heartbreaking ending. If you’re looking for a gritty action film to watch on a Saturday night then definitely look this up.
⭐⭐⭐
