By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
RIZ AHMED AND LILY JAMES POWER THE TWISTY THRILLER "RELAY"
Don't sleep on the new movie
"Relay" from director
Dave MacKenzie ("Hell or High Water" and TV's "Gemstone") and screenwriter
Justin Piasecki ("The Expendables 4").
It is a taut, atmospheric drama that evokes the spirit of those old-school spy thrillers. "Relay" is brought vividly to life by Academy Award nominated and Emmy winning actor
Riz Ahmed ("Sound of Metal" and "TV's "The Night Of") in yet another fascinating and assured role.
In "Relay" Ahmed plays Ash, a modern-day "fixer" whose tools don't include guns and knives, but rather intelligence and psychological precision. Operating in isolation through a secure telephone relay system to communicate on the downlow with his clients, Ash is a ghost in New York's digital shadows. He's hired to clean up messes and neutralize threats for those caught in dangerous and corrupt corporate situations. He gets paid a lot too.
We are first introduced to a disheveled, beaten, and frightened man named Hoffman (Matthew Maher, "The Mastermind" and TV's "Outer Range") as he walks into a diner, sits at a table waiting to meet with a pharmaceutical CEO named McVie (Victor Garber, TV's "Family Law").
It's clear that Hoffman either had info on his company and McVie is sending a message that once Hoffman hands over an important file he’s free of them. Of course, Ash is off in the distance watching to ensure that there are no slip ups and things go as planned.
Ash's newest client, Sarah Grant (an outstanding Lily James, "Swiped" and "Greedy People"), is a biotech scientist with nerves of steel but a rising tide of paranoia. And for good reason. After uncovering a potentially dangerous flaw in her company's genetically modified, insect-resistant wheat--a strain that could pose serious health risks to consumers--Sarah alerts her superiors.
Instead of addressing the issue, the company turns on her, pushing her out and launching a campaign of intimidation to silence her. But Sarah has the evidence to prove her claims. She doesn't want to necessarily be a whistleblower, but she's done being afraid and just wants the harassment to end.
Sarah reaches out to Ash through a lawyer's referral. Soon, her every move is being closely monitored by corporate henchmen: Dawson (Sam Worthington, "Avatar: Fire and Ash"), Ryan (Jared Abrahamson, "Venom: The Last Dance"), Rosetti (Willa Fitzgerald, "TV's The Fall of the House of Usher"), and Lee (Pun Bandhu, "On the End"). It leads to a triggering game of trust, deception, and survival.
What makes "Relay" work so well is its commitment to building tension through dialogue, surveillance, and the unseen. It's less "John Wick" and more "The Conversation," steeped in fear, long silences, and city-wide cat-and-mouse maneuvers.
The filmmakers have crafted minimalist yet electric surroundings, where every phone call is a lifeline and every whisper could spell doom.
The structure of the movie cleverly delays the meeting of its leads, forcing the audience to invest in their growing dependence on one another. When Ash and Sarah finally come face to face, it lands with a mix of tension and relief. Then in jarring fashion the plot snaps in a completely unexpected direction.
A single misstep by Sarah compromises Ash's entire operation, not only exposing his closely guarded identity but also unearthing darker forces neither of them saw coming.
Even the baddies in "Relay" are more than just stock villains; they're slick, layered, and disturbingly compelling.
The final act doubles down on sharp and emotionally charged twists. Rather than relying on over-the-top action to make viewers squirm, "Relay" banks on loyalty, guilt, and the chilling realism of surveillance and being hunted in a digital world.
It's a gamble that pays off handsomely. Ahmed's performance is a masterclass in restraint. He plays Ash like a man permanently holding his breath, waiting for the past to catch up to him. Lily James makes Sarah more than a standard damsel. She is clever, flawed, and brave in ways that feel so grounded.
And when that other shoe finally drops, "Relay" delivers quite a surprising climax.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the
Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station
KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Take a Peek At This Trailer For
"RELAY"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
