Four small-time criminals, one badly timed escape and a forced landing in Lithuania give Redirected its basic setup, but the film quickly turns that simple idea into a messy, violent and often hilarious survival trip. Emilis Vėlyvis directs this 2014 Lithuanian-British action comedy with a clear love for gangster films, especially the fast-talking, foul-mouthed style associated with British crime cinema. However, the film works best when it stops trying to imitate that style and allows its own strange Eastern European setting and local characters to take control. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
At 99 minutes, Redirected never spends too much time explaining itself. Instead, it throws John, Ben, Tim and Michael into one increasingly ridiculous situation after another. Consequently, the film feels less like a carefully constructed crime thriller and more like a criminal road trip where every wrong decision creates another problem. That approach will not work for every viewer, but if you enjoy dark humour, violent slapstick and characters making terrible choices, the film has enough energy to keep you watching.
The real strength of Redirected is how quickly everything goes wrong
The story begins with four friends involved in a robbery. Michael, played by Scot Williams, becomes part of the operation despite not being the experienced criminal that the others are. After the robbery, the group plans to escape, but circumstances take them to Lithuania instead of allowing them to continue their original journey. From that point, their problems multiply as they encounter criminals, corrupt authorities, smugglers and other dangerous people while trying to get back home. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
That basic premise gives Vėlyvis plenty of room for comedy. More importantly, the film understands that the funniest situations often come from characters who think they have control when they clearly do not. John, Tim, Ben and Michael repeatedly find themselves trapped between people who are more dangerous than they are. Therefore, the tension comes not only from whether they will escape, but also from wondering which stupid decision they will make next.
Still, the screenplay has obvious weaknesses. The film borrows heavily from the rhythm and attitude of British gangster comedies, and several scenes feel designed to remind the viewer of Guy Ritchie rather than establish a completely independent voice. Rotten Tomatoes' lone listed critic review also criticised the film for combining familiar influences without enough originality, while audience reactions have been much more divided. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Personally, I found that unevenness easier to forgive than the film's occasional storytelling shortcuts. Redirected does not always care about making every development perfectly logical. Instead, it wants to keep the characters moving from one disaster to another. That decision gives the movie momentum, although it also reduces the emotional weight of some situations.
Michael gives the chaos a useful human angle
Scot Williams gets an important role as Michael because he provides a contrast to the more criminal-minded members of the group. He does not carry the same confidence as the others, and that makes his involvement more interesting. Rather than presenting four equally skilled criminals, the screenplay creates different levels of competence and desperation inside the group.
Gil Darnell, Oliver Jackson and Antony Strachan bring different comic personalities to John, Tim and Ben. Their chemistry works particularly well when the characters argue, panic or attempt to bluff their way through situations they clearly do not understand. At the same time, the script does not give all four men enough depth to make their friendship especially powerful. We understand their immediate problems more clearly than their deeper personal motivations.
That is one reason the film feels stronger as a crime farce than as a character drama. The actors know the tone they are playing, and they rarely try to turn the material into something more serious than it needs to be. Their performances keep the film moving even when the screenplay becomes increasingly absurd.
Vinnie Jones knows exactly what kind of screen presence the film needs
Vinnie Jones plays Golden Pole, one of the most memorable figures in the film. Jones has spent much of his career playing intimidating criminals and tough men, so the role clearly fits his established screen image. Yet his presence still adds weight because the four protagonists look considerably less dangerous whenever they share the frame with him.
Golden Pole works because Jones does not need lengthy speeches to establish authority. His physical presence does much of the work. Furthermore, the character fits the film's exaggerated approach to violence, where danger and comedy often sit next to each other.
The Lithuanian cast also gives the film a distinctive identity. Andrius Žiurauskas, Vytautas Šapranauskas, Mindaugas Papinigis and Artur Smolyaninov add different shades to the criminal world surrounding the British characters. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Vytautas Šapranauskas is particularly noticeable because his performance gives the local side of the story a personality that goes beyond simply being background opposition. The Lithuanian characters help the film feel like more than a British gangster comedy relocated to another country.
Emilis Vėlyvis directs with speed, attitude and controlled madness
Vėlyvis clearly understands the value of pace. The camera rarely sits still for long, and the editing keeps changing the rhythm whenever the characters enter a new situation. The director also uses quick transitions and energetic staging to create the feeling that the protagonists never have enough time to think.
That style suits the story. After all, Redirected depends heavily on momentum. If the film slowed down too much, the thinness of some character arcs would become more obvious. Instead, Vėlyvis keeps introducing another obstacle before the previous one has fully settled.
However, the same approach occasionally becomes excessive. The film sometimes appears more interested in looking cool than allowing a scene to breathe. Some comic moments continue longer than necessary, while certain violent sequences push the cartoon quality so far that the danger loses some of its impact.
Even so, there is a clear visual personality here. Cinematographer Feliksas Abrukauskas handles the film's urban and rural environments with enough variation to prevent Lithuania from becoming a generic backdrop. The production design also helps create a world that feels rough, strange and unpredictable. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
The Lithuania setting gives the film its own flavour
This is where Redirected separates itself from the British crime movies that inspired it. The story places its London criminals inside a world they do not understand, and the cultural and language differences become part of the comedy.
John, Ben, Tim and Michael arrive expecting to deal with their own criminal problems, but Lithuania presents them with an entirely different set of rules. Consequently, their confidence disappears quickly. The film gets several of its funniest moments from this cultural collision, particularly when the British characters attempt to communicate or negotiate with people who have little reason to trust them.
Interestingly, the film does not treat the setting as a polished tourist postcard. Instead, it presents a rougher and more eccentric environment that matches the criminal tone. That choice gives the movie a visual identity and prevents its London gangster influences from completely taking over.
The music keeps the criminal comedy moving
Paulius Kilbauskas and Domas Strupinskas composed the film's original music. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} The score supports the movie's fast-moving crime-comedy tone without trying to turn every scene into a major dramatic moment.
Music matters here because the film constantly jumps between tension and comedy. A chase can quickly become ridiculous, while a threatening encounter can suddenly acquire a comic edge. The soundtrack helps smooth those changes. Moreover, the energetic editing and score often work together to give ordinary movements a heightened, almost comic-book quality.
It is not the kind of soundtrack that stays with you long after the credits, but it performs its job effectively inside the film.
Where the screenplay starts losing control
The biggest problem with Redirected is that its ambition does not always match the strength of its writing. The movie wants to be a gangster comedy, road movie, action thriller and absurdist farce at the same time. Sometimes those elements fit naturally. At other times, they compete with each other.
The middle portion benefits from the Lithuanian setting and the expanding group of eccentric characters. However, the film occasionally relies on coincidence to move the plot forward. Some characters also behave in ways that exist mainly to create the next joke or action sequence rather than because their decisions make complete sense.
That weakness has also appeared in audience criticism. IMDb currently lists the film at 6.4/10 from roughly 35,000 ratings, while Rotten Tomatoes shows a 38% Tomatometer score and more than 250 audience ratings. The available audience comments range from strong praise for the humour and style to complaints about the screenplay and its similarity to Guy Ritchie-style crime films. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
For me, the divided response makes sense. If you judge the film primarily as a tightly written crime story, its weaknesses become obvious. If you approach it as an outrageous crime comedy built around escalating disasters, the rough edges become easier to accept.
Violence works better when the film treats it as dark comedy
Redirected contains plenty of violence, profanity and criminal behaviour, but it rarely presents violence with the grim realism of a serious crime drama. Instead, Vėlyvis often gives it a heightened, almost slapstick quality.
That choice will decide whether the film works for you. Viewers expecting realistic consequences may find the tone frustrating. On the other hand, viewers comfortable with exaggerated gangster comedy will probably enjoy the absurdity. The movie knows that its characters are walking disasters, and it frequently turns their suffering into the joke.
Personally, I think the film benefits from this approach. Without the dark comic tone, several of the more outrageous situations would become unpleasant rather than entertaining. At the same time, the screenplay could have shown slightly more restraint because constant escalation eventually reduces the surprise.
Why Redirected remains an entertaining one-time watch
The biggest achievement of Redirected is its ability to remain entertaining despite its uneven screenplay. The film moves quickly, the cast commits to the material and the Lithuanian setting gives the familiar gangster-comedy formula a different backdrop.
It does not have the character writing or originality of the best British crime comedies, and comparisons with Guy Ritchie are difficult to avoid. Several audience reviews make exactly that comparison, with some viewers calling it a fun imitation and others criticising it for copying the style too closely. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Yet I would not dismiss the film simply as a copy. Vėlyvis brings his own sense of location, local humour and visual energy to the material. The result feels like a Lithuanian filmmaker taking familiar British gangster ingredients and pushing them into an unusually chaotic road comedy.
For viewers who enjoy Snatch-style banter, criminal misadventures and exaggerated violence, this film can make for a surprisingly enjoyable late-night watch. However, anyone looking for a tightly plotted gangster thriller should keep expectations under control.
My overall feeling is simple: Redirected is messy, vulgar, violent and sometimes too eager to show off, but it also has enough personality to avoid becoming completely forgettable. Its best scenes come when the British criminals collide with the Lithuanian underworld and discover that they are nowhere near as clever as they thought. Its weakest moments arrive when the screenplay forces another twist simply because the previous disaster has not caused enough trouble.
That balance ultimately makes it an entertaining but imperfect crime comedy. I would recommend it for a single, relaxed watch rather than a film to revisit for its story. The performances, pace, visual energy and sheer absurdity carry it further than the screenplay deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions about the movie
What is Redirected (2014) about?
Redirected follows four friends who become involved in a robbery and later find themselves stranded in Lithuania. They must deal with criminals, corrupt authorities, smugglers and other dangerous characters while trying to return home. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Who directed Redirected?
Emilis Vėlyvis directed the film and also co-wrote the screenplay with Jonas Banys and Lewis Britnell. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Who plays Vinnie Jones in Redirected?
Vinnie Jones plays Golden Pole, a dangerous criminal who becomes closely connected to the problems faced by the four main characters. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
Who are the four main characters in Redirected?
The central group consists of Michael, John, Tim and Ben, played by Scot Williams, Gil Darnell, Oliver Jackson and Antony Strachan respectively. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Is Redirected a comedy or an action film?
It combines gangster comedy with action, crime and thriller elements. The humour often comes from the characters' increasingly dangerous situations rather than from conventional comedy setups.
Is Redirected similar to Guy Ritchie films?
Yes, the film uses several familiar elements associated with British gangster comedies, including fast dialogue, criminal characters, violent humour and energetic editing. Some critics and viewers have specifically compared it with Guy Ritchie's work, although the Lithuanian setting gives it a different identity. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
Who composed the music for Redirected?
Paulius Kilbauskas and Domas Strupinskas composed the original music for the film. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
Who handled the cinematography in Redirected?
Feliksas Abrukauskas served as the cinematographer. His work supports the film's fast-moving crime-comedy style and helps distinguish the British and Lithuanian environments. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
When was Redirected released?
The film premiered in Lithuania on 10 January 2014 and received its United Kingdom release on 13 November 2014. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
How long is Redirected?
The commonly listed runtime is 99 minutes, making it a relatively compact film that moves quickly through its series of criminal misadventures. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
What language is Redirected in?
The film uses English, Russian, Lithuanian and Polish, which also supports its cultural and language-based comedy. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
Is Redirected worth watching?
Yes, if you enjoy dark gangster comedy, exaggerated violence, chaotic characters and films influenced by British crime comedies. However, viewers who need tightly logical plotting and deeper character development may find its screenplay frustrating.