Veteran character actor Brian Cox (BRAVEHEART, RUSHMORE) proves a magnetic leading man in the role of Avery Ludlow, a small-town war veteran on a mission of vengeance in RED, based on the 1995 novel by Jack Ketchum. Trugve Allister Diesen and Lucky McKee's film is a moving character study that plays like a vigilante thriller, a portrait of the lengths that a decent man will go to when the only thing he loves has been taken from him. A strong cast and authentic small-town locations bring this unassuming but memorable film to life. On a sleepy afternoon while fishing with his 14 year-old dog, Red, Avery Ludlow is approached by a trio of teenage boys. The conversation begins benignly enough, but when the rifle-toting boys ask for money and Avery is unable to comply, they shoot and kill Red. Grieving for the loss of his friend, a gift for his 50th birthday from his late wife, Avery tracks down the shooter's name via the store where the rifle was purchased and pays a visit to the boy's father, wealthy redneck businessman Michael McCormack (Tom Sizemore). The boy, Danny (Noel Fisher), denies shooting the dog, which sets Avery on a path of vengeance, utilizing everything from the aid of a local TV news woman (Kim Dickens) to methods more conventionally brutal.

Reportedly a troubled production which saw director Diesen taking over for McKee (MAY) before the film was completed, RED is no worse for the wear. Tight, suspenseful, and touching, the film is carried on the shoulders of Cox, who paints Avery as a troubled but thoughtful man who values fairness above all else. His fine performance is bolstered by a strong supporting cast that includes Amanda Plummer and Robert Englund.