
Having accomplished so much and even winning an Oscar, it is quite incredulous to think that it took so long for a more conventional star vehicle point in Riz Ahmed’s life. Relay (2024) seems to have the elements of a great espionage thriller, clearly drawing from films such as Michael Clayton and the archetype paranoia films of Alan Pakula in the 70s, with writer Justin Piasecki adding his twist with Relay’s very different take on the premise. Corporate whistleblowers and paranoia are nothing new, but Piasecki finds an angle with the telephone relay system that gives this film its title and serves as the storyline’s focal point. Ahmed’s protagonist goes by many names, and wears many hats, (quite literally) as the intermediary fixer between the corporate whistleblowers and those secretive corporations that try to hush their names. Watching Ahmed’s character was exceptionally pleasurable. He mesmerized everyone by changing his outfits in every scene. He carried out his role with confidence and professionalism, turning in an impressive performance even though his character had to walk through various paths in his life.
Where Relay absolutely delivers is whenever it feels reminiscent of the stylistic feel of its predecessors while also going deep into its unique conceptual approach. The communication system using technologies of the past as a relay telephone system makes for very interesting and well cut scenes that serve to build a lot of suspense and are simply enjoyable to watch. Such a narrative device also works well in terms of the characters’ interactions. Lily James and Sam Worthington, for instance, do not need to do a lot during the calls as Worthington gets to act like a thriller bad guy so that he is able to fully embody the role.
Director David Mackenzie’s career is quite the rollercoaster, as he has had the opportunity to work in a number of different approaches. He has done a more hard-edged sort of contemporary thriller with Hell or High Water, and he handles the sleek sharp nature of Relay quite well directorially.
Relay however does impress in most areas on paper. It’s well put together and very much amusing with a fresh perspective in a rather saturated genre. Yes, even when it starts losing its grip a little with all the twists and turns in the final quarter, it still puts you in a thrilling mood and keeps you tied for most parts, though it does come across as overly slick, and as though it believes itself to be cleverer than it actually is.
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