HOLLYWOOD FILM SYNOPSIS
Rendel: Dark Vengeance (2017) is a Finland superhero action film and also the country’s first attempt at achieving a comic superhero action movie. The debut feature of Jesse Haaja Rendel is a Finnish superhero film that takes a bold and ambitious approach in a genre that is still unexplored in Finland. This deeply personal and dark film attempts to introduce us to Rendel whose motivations seem to be rooted in punishing corporate malfeasance. The movie offers a distinct perspective outside of Hollywood by combining traditional violent retribution patterns alongside comic book style fury to give another version of the non-hollywood take on superheroes.
PLOT SYNOPSIS
The story revolves around an ex-employee of a corporation turned into a vigilante called Rämö whose life shatters when his wife and daughter are murdered in cold blood. Rämö formerly worked for VALA, an evil pharmaceutical conglomerate and a big time NH25 vaccine marketer. The vaccine is marketed with no proper trial and inflicts pain and death to numerous unsuspecting users. Rämö tries to oppose the release but the company retaliates. Following his family’s death, Rämö is left battered, beaten emotionally and completely alone.
Overcome with grief and rage, Rämö undergoes a transformative psychological change. It is then that he realizes how one of the chemicals in VALA’s vaccine has rather bizarre physiological effects on him; when poured on his skin, it forms a black, tar-like substance, which solidifies into a nearly indestructible exoskeleton. He becomes “Rendel,” a name taken from the Hungarian word for “order,” driven by a skin tight suit of armor, handmade masks and seething desire for vengeance.
Rendel begins his mission to take down VALA’s operations in Finland, starting with targeted strikes on warehouses and distribution hubs. Leads later on expand into the calculated elimination of upper-echelon tier mercenaries. VALA targets him internationally, enlisting the use of globally renowned mercenaries and assassin squads, but Rendel’s stealth and fighting prowess makes him flawless with every ambush he executes.
In the end he confronts VALA’s executive elites in a savage meeting, demonstrating how brutally vengeance can be and yet, somehow, managing to come out feeling redeemed. The plot towards the end remains unexplained how it was intended to be for subsequent movies. Kris Gummerus takes on the role of Rendel alongside Gummerus featuring as Rendel alias Rämö claiming the titular position of the film. Rendel stands as the sole martyr, embodying endless suffering born through destruction, a rebirth of ignited reckoning.
Rami Rusinen as Rotikka: One of VALA’s henchmen. He epitomizes the ruthlessness and avarice that marks the company’s elite.
Matti Onnismaa as Mr. Erola: The malevolent head of VALA’s operations in Finland.
Bianca Bradey as Stacy: An international contract killer brought in to eliminate Rendel.
Johnny Vivash as Radek: Another VALA aligned mercenary from the multinational assassination squad.
Alina Tomnikov as Marla: A journalist who gradually unravels the reality of VALA and Rendel’s war.
Tero Salenius, Aake Kalliala, and Sheila Shah complete the supporting’s as several operatives and officials entwined in the pharmaceutical conspiracy.
Direction and Production
The film’s director, Jesse Haaja, has had plans for Rendel since before the movie was made. A concept as a comic book came to life as a feature length film through crowdfunding and support from just under 500 backers. His direction is notable for its emphasis on dark, gritty aesthetics. The lighting is brooding, the action is visceral, and the pacing is relentless. Mikkeli and other Finnish landmarks serve as the frigid, industrial cityscape that is the perfect backdrop to Rendel’s narrative.
Finland’s genre cinema received a boost with the film’s production, which was shot in multiple cities including Kajaani, Varkaus, Sotkamo, Kuopio, and Helsinki, all within an economical budget of €1.45 million.
Music and Visuals
Rendel stands out due to the execution of its narrative alongside impressive visuals. One of the most distinctive elements of the film is the costume design, specifically Rendel’s armor. The cinematography was executed by Tero Saikkonen, who captured Rendel’s suits black tar-like texture, emblematic yet utilitarian, bound and merged through urban shots and stylized lighting. Supports this aesthetic with close-up, urban shots. The editing sequence is cut in a manner to intensify implosive hand-to-hand combat scenes during the action set pieces.
Tuomas Kantelinen, with Tiko Lasola and Jussi Huhtala, crafted intense and haunting tunes to add depth into the film. The brilliant Finnish rock band, The Rasmus, also aided the film by presenting their musical piece, “Wonderman,” for marketing purposes.
Themes and Analysis
The main theme of Rendel revolves around the catastrophic impacts of unregulated power and the emotional damage caused by personal loss. The death of Rämö’s loved one leads him to seek vengeance, but it seems to also compel him to restore harmony to a world tainted by greed and carelessness. This makes Rendel closer to antiheroes like The Punisher or Batman than idealistic superheroes.
Another revolving aspect of the plot is the faceless nature of evil corporations. VALA’s corporate executives and 征服者 foreign mercenaries represent out-sourced, profit-hungry corporate rot. Rendel is depicted as a man of few words, but just as ruthless. He acts as undiluted vengeance, for justice the law fails to serve.
The film also examines extreme forms of solitude. After his metamorphosis, Rendel hardly speaks, if at all. The silence itself becomes an action: silence can be filled with meaning, far more than the words he most definitely speaks.
Reception
Critics offered Rendel’s film a range of mixed to average reviews, and with regards to the reception, their views were not too different from one another. Most were quick to commend the ambition and concept of the film – especially coming from a non-conventional filmmaking country for superhero cinema – but many critique the plot’s structure and underwhelming supporting characters. Other common complaints were uneven pacing, poor dialogue due to translation and dubbing for international viewers, which overshadowed portions of the film.
Regardless, the movie gained a cult following amongst fans of dark superhero fiction. Its originality in setting, designs, and tone distinguished it from American films.
His Intention was to speak to its genre appeal which is underlined by ‘Best Action Movie’ award at Mexico breakout Feratam Film Festival.
Franchise Possibilities
A sequel was intended with the name Rendel 2: Cycle of Revenge. Production was underway from 2019 but the project met creative and logistic challenges, which included Jesse Haaja being removed from the director’s chair. The movie is said to be finished yet has no release date plannedl. The aim for the sequel is to deepen the mythology and delve further into Rendels psyche and adversaries.
Conclusions
Rendel: Dark Vengeance is one of the few modern superhero movies that do not rely on stunning visuals or big budgets. Its clear origin and purpose are what make it distinctive. As this tale of vengeance proves, there is room for independent creativity in saturated genres, showcasing filmmakers passion and imprint making it noteworthy.
If you want a superhero experience that is grittier, Rendel is a captivating and dark option for exploration. It shows what can be accomplished when these filmmakers take imaginative leaps and attempt to tackle global issues from fresh cultural angles.
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