'Motor City' Review
- Dempsey Pillot
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Release Date: 07/24/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Action. Crime. Drama. Mystery. Thriller.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: IFC Films.
The Verdict: A Must-See
After years of imprisonment, a man escapes and sets out on an arduous journey back home to the woman he loves. On paper, that may technically sound like the plot of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. But if you subtract the cyclops, the socio-mythical commentary, and most of the dialogue, it’s actually the plot of the new revenge thriller Motor City.
Directed by Potsy Ponciroli, the film is set in the corrupt and crime-ridden 1970s Detroit. Ponciroli wastes no time immersing you in this gritty world, opening the film with a sequence where bodies and bullets are flying at equal pace. As we quickly find out, the sequence is actually in medias res, teasing what the story builds up to. We’re then transported to the beginning, where a seemingly ordinary working-class man named John Miller gets his car stolen - but then strangely returned to him. He doesn’t think much of the incident at first, but when cops raid his house and discover drugs in his trunk, he realizes he’s been framed. Stuck in jail for a crime he clearly didn’t commit, he spends the next few years plotting his revenge. When he finally breaks out, he unleashes a fury that might even impress John Wick.
Now, fans of the revenge thriller genre might find multiple similarities between the Keanu Reeves-led franchise, as well as John Woo’s eerily similar Silent Night. But interestingly enough, the project predates both of them. Writer Chad St. John’s script was first honored with a spot on the Hollywood Black List in 2009. And after more than a decade in development hell, the film is finally seeing the light of day now. So it’s not outside of the realm of possibility that the film’s concept, themes, and action setpieces might have been borrowed from studios who may have read the script over the years while the film struggled to get greenlit. Does that mean John Wick or Silent Night pale in comparison to this film? No. They’re all good, but for very different reasons. Wick is carried by the gravitas of Reeves and the mysterious politics of the Continental. Silent Night tells a Christmas-themed revenge story in John Woo’s distinct visual style. But Motor City is an electric homage to classic thrillers (such as Death Wish) that simultaneously acts as a showcase of Alan Ritchson’s action hero chops.
Ritchson plays Miller. And while he clearly has the physicality to play a tough guy, the film is a great exercise in showing how he can do more than just act tough. As previously mentioned, there is very little dialogue over the course of the film’s 100-minute runtime (maybe less than 50 words?). And Ritchson does not disappoint. Despite his eventual need to execute brute force, we see a vulnerability he rarely gets to explore on his hit series Reacher. Here, he’s a literal lover who does not want to fight. It’s because that love is taken from him - and that vulnerability is taken advantage of - that the audience can fully get on board with his quest for vengeance.
The film’s cast is rounded out by Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber and somewhat of a cameo from Ben McKenzie. Woodley plays Miller’s girlfriend, Sophia, who was stolen from a local crime lord a long time ago. Foster plays said crime lord, Reynolds. Schreiber and McKenzie play cops on the opposite side of the legal spectrum. Of the group, Foster is by far the standout. Schreiber is good too, but he certainly feels typecast. On the contrary, having played so many bad guys during his long and distinguished career, this may just be one of Foster’s most unlikeable (in a good way). Similar to Miller, we see that he too has a vulnerable side rooted in love. But rather than fight to keep it, he would rather lie and kill. Foster’s performance is particularly entrancing because he’s able to exude such sleaze without saying a word. The way he’s able to consistently elude Miller often feels like you’re watching the Roadrunner slip through Wile E. Coyote’s. As cartoonish as it sounds, it makes that final violent confrontation all the more satisfying.
As great as the film and its two lead performances are, it does have a couple of issues. The first - and most glaring - is the wigs. Ritchson’s in particular feels like a crime against nature. So much so that when he finally shaves it off (for a reason that never seems clear), you may literally let out a sigh of relief. It’s particularly surprising considering much of the makeup and practical effects are good, especially in the third act.
Additionally, the soundtrack doesn’t always compliment the film’s lack of dialogue. It makes sense that Ponciroli would never want the film to go dull, but it honestly never does. However, some of the bizarre needle drops feel out of place or take away from a scene’s impact. One of the biggest examples is when Miller is arrested early on in the film and Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” plays. On one hand, you want to feel bad for Miller and process what might have happened. But, on the other hand, you can’t help but boop your head to one of the greatest rock songs of all time.
At times, Motor City’s lack of dialogue feels like a gimmick. While it doesn’t always work, it still succeeds as a quiet exercise in bold storytelling. Anchored by equally great performances from Ritchson and Foster, and some brilliant action sequences throughout, the film has the potential to rev up enough buzz to become a genre classic.
