We all seek to right our wrongs and leave our past behind us as we look ahead and seek the grace of God. But for Cash, that all comes crashing down as he is called upon to deliver divine vengeance and protect his family at all costs.
In Red Right Hand, written by Jonathan Easley and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms, we follow a small countryside family consisting of Cash (Orlando Bloom), his brother Finney (Scott Haze), and his niece Savanna (Chapel Oaks). Cash’s niece is now orphaned and his brother Finney has succumbed to alcoholism due to his wife’s passing. Cash (Orlando Bloom) moves to the farm to help maintain the farm and help his brother raise his niece. At first, everything seems all peachy keen until Odim County Kingpin, Big Cat (Andie MacDowell) sends her goons to collect a debt.
Following this initial altercation between Cash and Big Cat’s goons, Cash learns that his brother Finney took out a loan on Big Cat to pay for the farm following his wife’s passing. To get Big Cat off his brother’s tail, Cash works out a deal with Big Cat to pay off the debt. Return to her services for three jobs of her choosing. Once those jobs are complete, she will consider the debt paid. Unfortunately, for Cash and his family, Big Cat is not letting the mouse out of her trap that easily.
What ensues then is a bloody, action-thriller that tests every ounce of Cash’s faith, morals, and loyalty to his family. Blurring the lines between good and evil. This isn’t a story we have not seen before but everything about this film is so well crafted and fires on all cylinders whenever the action gets going. I’ve been slowly but surely becoming a massive fan of Scott Haze and his performance in Red Right Hand is deep and emotional and has cemented my liking of Haze as an actor.
One can empathize with him to the fullest as the grieving husband who feels like he has failed his daughter due to his alcoholism. But also as a man who feels that he has let his brother down by pulling him into his individualized issues. Orlando Bloom on the other hand (Cash), gets to flex his muscles here both physically and metaphorically. From the southern accent to this rugged demeanor, Bloom sells it all. Bloom has proven to be a versatile actor and Red Right Hand further proves his range and artistic skills.
The same can be said for the film’s supporting cast. Andie MacDowell who plays Big Cat is purely sadistic and cunning as the film’s big bad; her hellhounds are also quite enjoyable even in their minor roles. Everyone was solid throughout the film and that’s something we don’t often get in films like these. The action sequences are also great. They aren’t out of this world in terms of hand-to-hand combat, which I feel the film should’ve included more of.
The film does have a ‘Four Brothers’ kind of vibe to it which I liked hence my need of wanting some more brawls and hand-to-hand combat throughout. I wouldn’t consider it anything more than a mere nitpick. But we do get those extensive, yet intense shootouts to level up the action the film wants to provide. This lends to Eshom and Ian Nelms’ direction which delivers on all aspects. Including the cinematography, there’s always a pleasant view to bask in when viewing the countryside of Kentucky.
Red Right Hand far exceeds expectations and delivers a violent test of faith, loyalty, and family. With a clear sense of direction and a tightly woven script, Red Right Hand brings forth characters and character moments that are personal, deep, and emotional. The film’s directors provide the action needed to elevate the story and cinematography to make the viewing experience that much more unique. Scott Haze and Orlando Bloom are the clear standouts of the films, but Bloom truly gets to flex his acting muscles in a big way.
Red Right Hand is now playing in theaters and available on VOD.
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