My Name is Vendetta review: A predictable action flick

‘My Name Is Vendetta’ is a gritty revenge thriller that follows an ex-mafia member and his daughter as they seek vengeance.

Story

Sofia Romeo plays hockey and is like any other seventeen-year-old teenager. Her parents Santo and Ingrid are protective of their young daughter.

A quiet adolescent, Sofia spends most of her time playing hockey for her hometown team and learning how to drive off-road like a race car driver, from her father.

Since Santo is a very reserved and secretive person, he doesn’t ever wish to get photographed. However, Sofia defies his wish and clicks a picture of him.

Not only does she click a photo, but she also uploads the photo on her social media account without her father’s consent. Everything goes downhill from here.

Once Sofia’s mother and uncle are assassinated in cold blood, the repercussions are severe. Santo takes Sofia and tries to escape the crime scene after discovering the remains of his late wife and brother-in-law.

This is the point at which Sofia learns the truth about her father’s complicity with the mafia. Santo is actually Domenico Franze, and the murderers were men of the Lo Bianco family.

With this, Sofia and Domenico chalk out a plan to seek revenge for Ingrid and her brother. They kidnap one of the Lo Bianco family’s sons, Michele, until things fall apart. Everything seemed to be going well until Domenico realised he had no alternative but to kill the head of the Lo Bianco family and finally capitulate.

Sofia was now on her own. Domenico is killed in open combat, and Sofia is apprehended by police. When Sofia is 18, a time gap is observed. She leaves her shelter and finds her way to Michele.

Simultaneously, Sofia stabs Michele in the jugular. Sofia says at the end of ‘My Name is Vendetta’, “Kill or be killed, this is the law”.

Performances

All the actors in the movie have done an amazing job. Every character depicted depth and emotional connection.

Actor Alessandro Gassman, who plays the role of Santo/Domenico, portrays the mafia guy and protective father perfectly. His character displayed different layers of complexity.

Ginevra Francesconi plays the role of Sofia, one of the main characters in the movie. Her acting feels very real. The pain in her expressions during the scenes where her character’s life was in turmoil, is well portrayed.

Francesconi’s systematic switch from being a child-like teenager to a careful assassin is a commendable sign of an actor.

Other actors such as Gabriele Falsetta, Remo Girone, and so on have added to the beauty of the movie as well.

Positives

‘My Name Is Vendetta’ has a beautiful method of storytelling. The storyline was written in a way that it felt like it came full circle. For example, initially, Sofia is petrified by blood and killing. By the end of the movie, she commits a murder.

The character development has been constructed in a very crisp way. Sofia’s character development has been portrayed the best out of all the characters.

The wide-angle shots are splendid, to say the least. Each one of the shots captured the beauty of the hills and forest. They are too serene and bring out a balance to the other scenes which are too bloody.

As for the direction of the movie, it is a job well done. A scene which shows Domenico’s death through an encounter with the police is by far one of the most powerful scenes in this movie.

Negatives

The storyline is a stereotypical action flick. There could have been different ways to bring some twists to the story. From the very start, the movie is predictable. It feels like watching the same show but in a different language.

It would have been better if something more was talked about regarding Sofia’s mother. Her history with Domenico could have added some layers to the story.

One more problem with this movie is how quickly everything happened. It felt as though there was a rush to wrap up. There were too many things going on at the same time.

Verdict

Despite everything, the movie is a great watch. With no lack in terms of acting or direction, ‘My Name is Vendetta’ deserves to be watched at least once.

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Also Read: My Name is Vendetta ending explained: Does Sofia get her revenge?