Written by Ben Murchison
Reprisal is a story of contradicting themes Ultimate betrayal and steadfast loyalty. The desire to move on coupled with a crippling need for revenge. Cars versus bikes, conflicting time periods, the family you choose and the family you are born into. There is a lot to digest in the first season of the Josh Corbin created show that debuted on Hulu in December.
The story centers around Doris (Abigail Spencer), who is left for dead by her brother Burt (Rory Cochrane) and his gang the Banished Brawlers. Years later she seizes an opportunity to exact her vengeance, setting plans and people in motion to carry out her constantly evolving campaign. Right from the start you can feel the Tarantino influence in the writing and especially in the stylized violence.
The non-linear storylines offer up several chances at surprising revelations throughout the series which keeps it interesting even when the plot advances slowly. Other methods of unconventional storytelling are also used including drug induced fantasy sequences, and breaking the fourth wall to deliver necessary exposition. This all seems to be fairly common with a lot of recent series, but what isn’t common is that you can’t pinpoint when things are taking place. The retro cars, clothes and slang would lead you to believe it happens in the 50’s but then you see a cell phone and realize everything exists just for the purity of the story being told, and all of this is happening in bubble with no need for trivial labels like a year.
The extensive cast is put together well, with a blend of mostly recognizable but not terribly well-known players in the principal roles, and then a familiar supporting cast allowed to do what they do best. Spencer excels with a soft-spoken sweet charm masking her fearlessness. Craig Tate always seems in control as Earl, who is enlisted along with his partner Cordell (Wavyy Jonez) to aid Doris. Mena Massoud in his first big role since Aladdin plays Ethan, who allows viewers to be introduced to the world the story is playing out in as he discovers it, and the beautiful but mysterious Meredith (Madison Davenport) who dances at the Brawlers clubhouse, the Bang-a-Rang.
Rodrigo Santoro portrays Joel, a character that is at war with himself. As acting leader of the Brawlers he has to be the most tough, but level headed guy in the room, but as the father to a young daughter (Scarlett Blum) he may also have the biggest heart. W. Earl Brown, Gilbert Owuor, Lea DeLaria, and Ron Pearlman will all catch your eye, and again Rory Cochrane is always amazing to see on screen as a departure from his iconic character from the cult hit Dazed and Confused. Pretty sure that Slater would say that dragging your sister behind a truck is, “not cool man.”
The most interesting part of the story isn’t the revenge plot, rather it’s the look inside the operations and bond of the 3 River Phoenixes. They serve as a group of prospects for the Brawlers, and keep things operating smoothly with the flow of money and supplies. Ethan becomes the third member, joining the naive leader Matty (Rhys Wakefield) and the quiet but observant Johnson (David Dastmalchian). Learning how they operate, and the fun way that they interact, and deliver exposition provides some of the series coolest sequences and their growing bond is fun to watch. The impending second season has them on a collision course with a principal character based on how things are left at the end of the first.
It may not be a ringing endorsement for Reprisal to say that the cool vibe, and the subplot of the 3 River Phoenixes is what stands out the most, but those three characters and the aesthetics of the show including the camera work and the music just work that well. There are some long continuous tracking shots, including a fight sequence in the season finale that doesn’t involve them which is fantastic. If more of that can be done moving forward along with continued development of the rest of the ensemble cast, this is a show that can really take off.
Reprisal is currently streaming on Hulu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuNIbAisAs
