The cult horror movie calibre of the two directors works well enough for Red on the rare occasion the script calls for such expertise, but Lucky McKee – who took on the adaptation of the Jack Ketchum novel and nearly saw out principal photography before abandoning the project without explanation – and Trygve Diesen are smart enough to stay out of the way and let Cox carry the narrative. While the climactic showdown lacks in vital physicality and there are some missing continuity shots that recall the film’s troubled production, their work is assured enough that their decidedly seedy filmographies are sure to improve.
Red suffers from a script from The Grudge screenwriter Stephen Susco, whose dialogue here tends toward monologue and whose grasp on pacing seems strangely saggy, but the human tale of the novel that inspired his work is authentic enough to shine through. Avery’s tragic history, however, is misguided in either iteration of Ketchum’s story – a blunt instrument that undermines much of the subtlety of his hurt and the anger it encourages. Nonetheless, six months in development hell, two directors, and a flat script hardly matter in the wake of Brian Cox’s compelling performance. He, alone – and despite a few foibles, he’s certainly not – is more than enough of a reason to see Red.
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