Recoil (I) (2011) User Reviews

Repercussions

[kosmasp · 5/10 · 26 November 2012]

First things first: If you like brawl fighting, this will be your thing. It also won an award for this fighting, so the stunt people (coordinators) must have done something right. Apart from that the story is nothing special, you've seen it before. But it has a charismatic Steve Austin and a very good Danny Trejo in it. Serinda Swan fills in the beautiful woman in distress department.

Effort is really good, but the story still lacks a punch here and there. It really begs you to suspend your disbelief, especially right before the big finale. Morality might not be the strongest theme in this movie, but it will do the job, if you don't expect much

Worth it if you like Austin

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 23 January 2018]

RECOIL is a solid little Canadian action film with a leading role for wrestler-turned-actor Steve Austin. He plays the normal heroic cop whose wife is killed when masked bad guys show up and machine gun a family barbecue. Austin then goes gunning for revenge, discovering that the murderers are none other than the members of a biker gang resembling the Hell's Angels. Plenty of fight scenes and explosive action ensues, all of it delivered on a low budget. It's simplistic but enjoyable, with hard-man Austin beating his way through one thug after another and very little depth to get in the way. Danny Trejo co-stars in a villainous turn as the head of the bikers, and there are a few nods to MACHETE along the way.

You should make sure he's dead.

[lastliberal-853-253708 · 5/10 · 7 August 2013]

I'm a big Danny Trejo fan, and he seemed to really have a meaty role in this film. Otherwise, I would have dismissed it as another ex-wrestler grabbing a paycheck for kicking butt. Of course, Serinda Swan also made the time spent watching it worthwhile.

I typically like a good revenge flick, but this one was missing something. It was like, "They killed my wife, and now I am going to do something about it." There wasn't any real passion in Austin's character. Trejo chewed the scenery every time he appeared. This was his best role, but Austin just didn't have the stones - he was cold.

Austin needs to find some John Cena passion.

Routine at best, tiresome at worst

[Wizard-8 · 15 March 2012]

First of all, I should mention that I enjoy a lot of made-for-video movies, so you might understand why I was pumped up when I got my hands on a copy of RECOIL, because it starred not only Steve Austin, but Danny Trejo. However, I have to confess that I felt somewhat let down by the end results. The production values are okay, though some of the photography has that dark look you find in a lot of other low budget Canadian movies. But the screenplay is lacking, making a lot of time go by between action sequences, and containing plot elements and characters we have see A LOT before in other B movies. The action sequences, when they do come, aren't very exciting. And while Steve Austin and Danny Trejo do bring some presence to the movie simply by showing up, they don't deliver that much more - maybe they too found this story routine and predictable as well, and didn't think it was worth the effort to be more energetic. I guess the movie deserves some praise for giving some of my fellow Canadians some work in front of and behind the camera - but that's about all that's positive about this movie.

Very generic action movie...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 10 January 2016]

This movie might have been even more enjoyable if they had Steven Seagal in the lead instead of Steve Austin. It seems like your average Seagal movie; an ex-police officer seeking justice against those who took away his family.

What made the movie somewhat watchable was the biker gang and those portraying the gang members, as well as Danny Trejo as the president of the biker gang. Oh, and Lochlyn Munro walking around as an FBI agent and flinging one-liners all over the place.

This is your typical one-man-takes-down-a-hundred-opponents type of action movie. And not a very interesting one at that. It offers nothing to the genre that hasn't been seen or done before.

There were some wonderful bad things in the movie too, of course, aside from the fact that Steve Austin was set to be the lead actor... Yes, actor! For example, you knew that it was a Hollywood car that exploded upon impact with a solid object. No, cars don't explode like that, only in American movies. And when Drayke said "take me there" to go to the location of his dead brother, he was seen in the lead of the motorcycle gang. Wouldn't you assume he would be tailing behind whomever was to take him there? Tch, tch...

If you enjoy action movies stay well clear of this boring movie. Your time and money is better spent elsewhere. Funny how a title this unfitting for a movie has absolutely no bang. Even if you sat with your eyes closed throughout the entire movie you would still be up to speed, because the movie is that scripted, generic and predictable.

Wasn't expecting much, got less....

[FlashCallahan · 2/10 · 7 April 2012]

Austin plays some guy who has a beef with Dany Trejo and his biker gang.

Truth is, his wife and child were killed, and obviously Machete is too blame.

So Austin spends the majority of the movie looking serious and doing his best lumbering 'Crow' impression, wreaking vengeance and looking mean.....

The only wrestlers who have ever made any impact on the big screen are the Rock, and maybe Cena. Austin has made one watchable movie, which was the Condemened, and now he is comfortable with direct to Blu Ray trash and The Expendables.

This poor effort is by far his worst movie, and bored the living daylights out of me.

I knew the film wasn't going to be groundbreaking, but this was something else. If like me you were bought up on eighties action, you may make the same mistake as me and give this a go.

Please don't, it really doesn't do anything or go anywhere.

Not Bad

[forbidden_bodyart · 5/10 · 5 March 2012]

Like the last review i agree a lot

all in all it was a good movie with a few actors i have seen in other movies in the past. Nice car used in the movie a real classic with out that i would have gave it a 4 out of 10 lol.

OK fight scenes but could have used a little more help with that i feel.

Drugs, guns, bikers and an ex cop OK lets not forget the feds and the town cops paid off by the gang but all in all it was a good movie.

I gave it a 5 out of 10 for a good try maybe steve's next movie will move him into a real actor but so far its been just bit pieces for him.

Rent this movie: Yes Pass on this Movie: No Buy This Movie: No This movie is not worth buying!

Classical revenge movie, with a rather boring plot

[siderite · 7/10 · 25 October 2012]

Steve Austin is a massive mean looking dude and he is angry because his family got killed by another mean looking dude: Danny Trejo! Small town violence and ass kicking ensues, to the viewer's delight.

Or does it? "Stone Cold" Austin is a stone cold actor. He doesn't do much in the way of expressing emotions. Of course, his role here was of the do more say less type, but still, hard to empathize with a guy that answers with calm one sentence phrases in the discussion about his family's death.

Also, Danny Trejo is a great psychopathic gang leader, but he could have done a lot more. I just loved the scene where he had to choose a weapon, he took the machete, then he changed his mind and took the sickle. Maybe he should do a sequel to Machete called Sickle :) Anyway, he is doing great at the age of 68!

The plot was also terribly boring. In a bunch of situations anyone but the indestructible hero of the movie would have died a thousand deaths. Instead, he somehow always gets to fight in hand to hand combat, where he excels.

Bottom line: a redneck punching movie. I expected this and I got it. A little more attention to the plot would have probably offended its intended audience.

The Rock must have been busy....

[MLDinTN · 4/10 · 2 July 2012]

so Steve Austin took the lead role in this movie. Austin plays a former cop out for revenge after his family was gunned down at a barbecue. It seems he's been a vigilante, killing bad guys and has finally found the men responsible for his family's murder. Head biker, Drayke, is running guns and meth in town and he's the one Austin is after. Of course, there is the hot motel clerk, Darcy, that Austin has to save from the bad guys. Then there is the sheriff on the take, but the deputies that are for truth and justice.

So everyone gets what's coming to them in the end.

FINAL VERDICT: nothing original about it, don't waste your time

Easily the best Steve Austin movie so far. A "Boondock Saints" like idea that isn't nearly as good, but watchable. I say B+

[cosmo_tiger · 7/10 · 29 February 2012]

"I think you know why I'm here." After the murder of his wife and child former cop Ryan Varrett (Austin) becomes obsessed with revenge and justice. When he gets to the town of Hope he finds what he is looking for. I have always wondered why wrestlers (who pretty much act for a living) have never been good movie actors. I liked Stone Cold when he was wrestling but as an actor he is quite bad. This is a hard movie to review for me. The opening five minutes were so bad I was laughing and wanted to turn it off, but the longer it went on the more I liked it. I'm not sure if it was because it was actually a good movie or if I just got used to it. I think I mainly liked it because of the idea. I loved "Boondock Saints" and while it's impossible to compare the two, any movie about a vigilante who doses out his own justice to those who fall through the cracks is OK with me. Overall, Steve Austin's best movie so far (which isn't saying much). I recommend this though. I surprisingly give it a B+.

Nothing special to see here

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 27 January 2014]

Ryan (Steve Austin) is a former cop who turned vigilante after his family is murdered. He's come to town to take on Drayke Salgado (Danny Trejo) and his gang who controls everything. Darcy (Serinda Swan) runs the hotel.

This is a lower budget TV movie made in Canada. They're a dime a dozen nowadays. This one has the interesting combo of Austin and Trejo. Austin plays a bit too wooden. Trejo is his usual bad guy persona. The movie really just suffers from a lack of imagination and action. There isn't much in the way of story. There are some fights, some guns, some explosions, but none of it is that impressive. There's just isn't anything special to recommend in this movie. The closest comes from a minor stage fight between Keith Jardine and Steve Austin. I would pay to see these two do the real thing.

YOU'RE NOT LIKE A PSYCHO OR SOMETHING?

[nogodnomasters · 10/10 · 29 May 2019]

The film opens with some slow metal music, and is perhaps a grindhouse "light." Ryan Varrett (Steve Austin) "sneaks" around in a Dodge GTX muscle machine, cruising Washington State (Seagal's territory). He plays a vigilante ex-cop who goes after the bad guys who killed his family and any other bad guys who know them. (Don't try this at home.) The film mixes dry humor with stone cold action. The first kill is a man hunting rabbits with an automatic weapon. He misses a bunny at about 10 yards. Austin crushes his neck and tosses him off a cliff. The cops describe the body as "abstract art." Austin has flashbacks to the killing (happens before movie starts) and the police are searching for the bunny killer. These provide a very minor subplot.

A waitress remarks, "Canada, not much up that way but Canada." I am laughing at the dialouge and I haven't figured out if the comedy is intentional. Austin ends up in Hope, Washington. "Hope" is a common name for symbolism or irony...normally from writers who couldn't come up with something better, or if they did, wouldn't think their audience could grasp it. Serinda Swan plays Darcy the local motel owner. She is a widow who smokes, drinks JD, and knows muscle machines.

Austin makes friends with the local bike club known as "The Circle" when he beats up a member who threatened to shoot a puppy (I love this stuff). Danny Trejo, in one of his "rare" bad guy appearances, plays the Drayke, the gang leader. Noel Gugliemi as Rex did a great job as a gang member. The gang has hobbies such as cage matches with electrified fences, drug manufacturing, and town terrorizing. It is the typical movie gang, one that runs guns but fights with tools. Stone Cold has other hobbies.

I enjoyed this action film. It had the right amount of action, humor (intentional and unintentional), and plot filler. It doesn't bother to give us any character build up as they all fit stereotypes. No plot twists, and if you seen enough of these, you can write the ending before the opening credits. As a fan of Austin, Trejo, vigilante films, and grindhouse it is worth a view. In the realistic scheme of things, this is not a five star movie, but I enjoyed it as much as one.

F-bomb, woman violence, CG explosions, Obama picture in police station, no sex, no nudity

From B grade to A grade!

[LOL101LOL · 7/10 · 27 February 2012]

Yeah yeah here we go again, another try by Stone Cold Steve Austin trying to be an actor, so far all his films are the forgettable type. But not this one, no way there is a road to the Oscars for this film, but I was entertained and thought the acting was OK, good supporting cast, not bad fighting scenes, and loved that American muscle car.

I sort of felt like I had seen this film before as the story line has been done before in other films, it sort of felt like an early Schwarzenegger 80's action kind film, OK to watch, and good enough for me to say Steve has lost that B grade tag.

I would give it a 7.5, but the great IMDb would only let me pick a 7 or a 8, not good enough for a 8, so 7 is more than a fair score.

A cross between Punisher and Sons of Anarchy, not nearly as good as either

[movieman_kev · 2/10 · 7 November 2012]

Steve Austin stars as an ex-cop out for revenge after his family is murdered. Danny Trejo is the head of a big bad biker gang whom Steve tassels with in this very generic straight to video yawner.

Striking quite a few parallels to FX networks' "Sons Of Anarchy", this film suffers from such comparisons as this as forgettable sub-par revenge flick. I say this with a heavy heart as I did enjoy Austin in "Tactical Force" and was hoping this one would be as fun (Seriously go see that film if you haven't already). Sadly this one was just boring and tedious. Wouldn't even recommend it for a lazy Sunday with nothing better to do.

Slow

[LincolnSixEko · 4/10 · 17 November 2021]

Plot is fine. Typical B grade movie stuff which theres nothing wrong with that. Steve Austin doesn't say a whole lot in this movie. Female motel owner is hot and of course single.

But the plot movies way too slow. The movie is 1hr 40min but it felt like 2 and a half hours. It just drags in a lot of places.

This Film Makes Other Bad Action Films Look Good

[nammage · 1/10 · 29 September 2017]

After the first 15 minutes I wondered if this film was satire but looking it up I couldn't find mention of it being that; if it was satire then hey, great movie! It shows all the horrible things in other action films with an over used and cliché plot: "Cop loses his wife and child (usually a girl but this time a boy) and goes after those responsible! Then becomes a vigilante and goes after other people who got away with their crimes!" Oh, and of course the 'good cops' let him go but give a speech about how they're coming after him. Dude, he's right there: arrest his contradicting butt!

Just a bad 80s early 90s action flick. Those films are pieces of art compared to this badly directed, acted, composed, written piece of ----. I watched this solely for Danny Trejo and Lochlyn Munro and while Trejo wasn't half bad Munro was awful. What happened to him? Maybe he should stick to Comedy. This film was just one cliché after another where other films had done it a billion (exaggerated) times before. Awful.

Better Than I Expected

[gwnightscream · 5/10 · 5 February 2022]

This 2011 action film stars Steve Austin, Danny Trejo and Serinda Swan. Austin plays Ryan, a former cop turned vigilante hunting criminals. He targets a biker gang responsible for his family's murder meeting friends/allies along the way. Trejo (Machete) plays gang leader, Drayke and the beautiful, Swan plays motel manager, Darcy who befriends Ryan. This is actually better than I expected and Austin is badass. If you like action or revenge flicks, give this a try.

Autistic Reviewers Opinion of This Movie

[autisticreviewers · 7/10 · 18 July 2016]

This is a story of a man (Steve Austin) who is out for revenge for the death of his family, and he heads to a town where it has been taken over by a Bikie Gang where its run by the one and only Danny Trejo! The plot is very typical and extremely simple. The movie itself was very low budget, and it felt like an 80's type movie. Not such a bad thing, though. Everyone works really well with the budget they have. The acting wasn't great, the action was okay, the story is clichéd, but good, the pacing was good (it keeps you watching, and you never get bored) and the direction was good. The whole movie doesn't really rely on far fetched Martial Arts to be put into this movie. It feels more of a street fighting type movie. It actually works too! Trejo was 70 years old when he did this movie...so hats off to Trejo for still kicking butt at the age of 70! The final fight scene between Trejo Austin was definitely the best part of the movie. All in all..it's a watchable movie. If you're bored and got nothing else better to do then watch this. You wont be disappointed. 3/5 stars. 7/10

Typical Saturday night action movie

[destroyerwod · 7/10 · 29 July 2012]

For some reason, Steve Austin never busted in the big screen like The Rock did, which is surprising considering Austin was just as good at acting in the WWE in term of his character and he is just a bit smaller physically(but still impressive). For some years now he has made some average to good direct to DVD movies and i can say i liked them in general. Last one i saw had Michael Jay White and Lexa Doig and was pretty good in term of general plot and action, but had some scenario inconsistency and non sense that downgraded it badly.

Saw this one 2 days ago and honestly i appreciated it. Putting Mr hundreds of movie Danny Trejo as the big bad is a sure value in term of villain. This guy have played all sorts of characters from cannon fodder characters to villains to father figure and even lead good guy. He definitely nail the part solid in this movie as well. Austin plays a kinda "Punisher" character. He was a cop, his family was murdered and he has now decided to punish the worst criminals himself. He is now so loud, acting impressive and i would say he nail the part pretty well also.

The action is decent, yet i think there could be more. The fights are made in a tough thug kind of way. No martial arts is show in this movie, the fights are mostly street boxing type. I got to say i usually prefer the first, but in this movie it wouldn't had work at all as the bad guys are a bunch of bikers.

Thecnically this movie is a solid direct to DVD release and is entertaining, but it represent well the DTDVD type in term of action, special effect, recycled plot(yet good to watch)

Very Good Action/Vigilante Movie

[docm-32304 · 8/10 · 17 November 2020]

These days, it's getting hard to find a good action movie as the former stars think they are still young enough to play the action hero with their toupees and hair dye, but Austin has that strong charisma to pull it off still and his movies are not saturated with f-bombs to hide a lack of good writing and acting. Well done...this would be a good franchise for him

You Wish They Had A Better Script.

[emortland · 7/10 · 4 July 2019]

For a random time-killing, no-thinking, "other customers watched" generic action film, this was okay. What surprised me was everyone in this - like Mr Austin & Trejo, Ms Swan - was decent & believable, they just didn't have much to work with. As in low budget & predictable. Can't get mad at them for that, it's a job. This may be the only throwaway action film I can think of where I wish the cast could be reunited in an A-level script.

Dumb, Inoffensive fun

[TylerisCritical · 6/10 · 2 September 2020]

The only truly notable part of this movie is the final fight.

No movies set on US West coast made in US?

[fertilizerdude · 6/10 · 21 December 2019]

Why? Pretty entertaining but predictable movie. Interesting that Canada is more enticing as a movie locale. Why? Taxes and liberal politics. I'm sure that since this isn't a PC review, it will never make the reviews even though logic and fact are utilized. Merry Christmas. Uh oh. I shouldn't have said that either, huh?

If one can ignore the logic then it's really not bad

[jordondave-28085 · 6/10 · 9 February 2023]

It opens with ex-cop, Ryan (Steve Austin) arriving at a small town called Hope with an agenda, which is to seek retribution to the criminals responsible (shown in flashbacks throughout) who wiped out his entire family. And when he arrives, he arrives by driving a 1968 Plymouth GTX, booked himself to a motel/ inn owned by a young widowed, Darcy (Serinda Swan). While there, and as it turns out, the town is overrun by a motorcycle gang called "The Circle" gang lead by Drayke (Danny Trejo) for the intention of illegal activity including guns and drugs. And it isn't long before Ryan's first victim happens to be Drayke's younger brother Rex (Noel Gugliemi) whose supposed to be an alleged ped before he slowly goes after the rest of the gang.

One of the main problems of this movie is the fact that although, Drayke played by Trejo is a known criminal who deals with guns and drugs, that he does not really use any guns against Ryan until more of his own men are killed, until it's to Austin's convenience but it could be the result ex wrestler Steve Austin who's also credited as "executive producer" and that they were unable to afford a dummy car.

Quite Entertaining!

[DomNickson843 · 26 April 2015]

Spoiler Alert!!! I really enjoyed this little film despite it has a very confusing storyline about a man who goes on a killing rampage against the killers of his wife or somebody close to him! This movie is full of action that a normal action movie fan would be satisfied with. Danny Trejo again is a pretty decent villain as always. The movie is pretty awesome and if you are a fan of gold old fist fighting check out the end fight scene! There's not a lot to say about this movie other than it is a simple yet action packed film. Danny Trejo and Austin want to kill each other from beginning to end which you gotta love. It was way better and had less plot holes than Tactical Force which is why I have decided to rate it a 6 out of 10.