24: Redemption

24 is back! 24 is back with this 2hour special 'bridge' between series 6 and 7, which sees ex CTU Agent Jack Bauer in a war torn African nation hiding from the crimes he committed whilst saving the United States in the previous seasons of 24.

The past is catching up with Jack after the US discover his location and subpoena him to the US court. However, strife and trouble are never to far away as the country in which Jack is hiding is facing a military coup, and he gets involved in helping the school children of an old friend to safety, played by a pleasant appearance of Robert Carlyle.

Jack must rely on his unique skills once again as things quickly turn bad, and the viewer once again treated to the intense flurry of suspense, corruption and pure action that can only be 24.

I won't go into anymore plot details, as not to spoil the film for anymore else, but be prepared for a fantastic 90min of fun that sets up very nicely indeed to the new 7th season of 24.

Craig

Before I go into discussing the movie I have to warn you that I have never seen the TV show 24 despite it has some sort of cult following and it has even rebooted. Despite this it was still a nice TV action movie.

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is in Africa for finding some sort of peace with himself and works as a volunteer with his friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle) that built the school Okavango for helping war orphans: there is another reason why Bauer is in Africa and it's because he had to go the US Senate because he's been accused of violating human rights during some interrogations but he refused to go. In the meanwhile an undercover US organization is helping general Benjamin Juma (Tony Todd) and his army for organizing a coup d'etat, and Bauer has to stop them.

As I have never seen an episode of 24 I am naive. I didn't knew the events that supposedly happened in seasons 6 and 7 but kinda liked the movie nonetheless. The acting was very entertaining by all and it was nice seeing the African settings despite there were also some scenes tough to watch.

Not to be missed especially if you are into the show and if you never saw an episode of it like me, it's a good start.

A full length episode of 24, but does it work? Well, I can't help it, but this seems to be kind of rushed. The script and story aren't as good as it should be. I felt kind of bored watching this.

Jack seems to be a bit "overpowered" and he seems to have a gift to dodge bullets. Okay I know this happens in a lot, but they kind of over do it here.

I like the way that it is real time. Unlike in the series, it seems like it is possible to do all the things they do in the given time period. It doesn't feel the 24ish though, one of the most vital part of 24 CTU is not involved in the movie at all.

With that said, it is not that bad. It seems like quite a nice start of the 7th season, and it is nice to get into more details about what has happened between the two seasons. They didn't max out the potential of the movie, the script and story was in my opinion a bit dull.

But if you like the series and plan to follow the 7th season, be sure to check this one out.

I must confess that I've never really watched the 24 television series too date, but that didn't in the least inhibit my enjoyment of '24 Redemption'. In recent years, a great many espionage-thriller films have been touted as being 'realistic' and gritty...the Bourne trilogy, Mission Impossible 3 and Casino Royale the most prominent among these. But '24 Redemption' goes beyond mere pseudo-realistic presentation by bringing us virtually as close to the real world as a documentary. The military coup that engulfs the fictitious African nation of Zangala is no campy world domination scheme...its the kind of situation you could very well find yourself staring at in the evening news.

But the realistic element reaches its zenith in the depiction of the protagonist Jack Bauer. Again, I'm not as familiar with Sutherland's character as I'd like to be, so I don't know how he's been portrayed in the past. But Jack Bauer as seen in this film, comes across not so much as a badass super-agent/action hero (ala Jason Bourne or Ethan Hunt) but rather as a very human character...a soldier weary of war, running away from the ghosts of his past and yet finding himself confronted by even more violence. He is both emotionally and physically a vulnerable individual. Quiet unlike the steely countenance of Bourne of the outward flamboyance of James Bond, Bauer's reactions to the situations he faces in this film are deeply rooted in his emotions. True, he is every bit the professional soldier too...but ultimately, a human being.

'24 Redemption' may not be the most entertaining thriller out there...but if you want to watch a movie about the kind of action hero who CAN exist in real life, defusing the kind of situation which CAN arise in the real world; if only for the novelty if nothing else...then this is the ideal film!

Of course 24 fans around the world were devastated with the writers strike and in turn the postponed "day 7" of 24, but instead of us fans having to endure another month of suspense and agony waiting on the arrival of the seventh season of 24, we were given a 24 (made for T.V.) movie known as 24 Redemption and yes Jack is back, but with some minute differences.

Some critics might say the fight scenes were "poorly" choreographed, the special effects might not have been special enough, or there just wasn't enough action. We need to remember the season finally of day 6 and how Jack literally now has nothing. The writers are clearly emphasizing on Jacks personal rehabilitation and personal change in other words even though we thought impossible they are in fact adding more drama to start us off which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The writers decided to aim at a different target and in a different location, but by God the hit the bull's eye.

Violence and surprises are defiantly a factor in the near "24" future and us fans can't wait...Also (I won't spoil it just in case you don't know, but you should already know) some of Jacks old friends are back, one important one in particular.

I hope this has been useful for you.