Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Revenge thriller has violence, human trafficking, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Ruthless
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In RUTHLESS, high school wrestling coach Harry (Dermot Mulroney) is struggling to come to terms with the brutal murder of his daughter. When school student Catia (Melissa Diaz) is kidnapped, he takes matters into his own hands, and goes after the men at the center of a human trafficking operation that will lead to uncovering horrific truths.
Is It Any Good?
There's no doubt this action thriller owes a lot to Liam Neeson's Taken. In Ruthless, Harry is also a man with a particular set of skills (mostly arm and finger breaking) on the hunt for a kidnapped girl who's about to be sold as part of a human trafficking operation. The girl in question is not his daughter here, but the recent assault and murder of his own child means he's fully invested and out for vengeance. Despite its disturbing subject matter, the movie manages to keep away from objectifying/sexualizing the girls beyond a brief auction scene, and Mulroney is believable if a little underdeveloped in the main role. Elsewhere Niko Foster makes for a likable cop, gradually losing the will to deal with Harry's vigilante justice but empathizing with his cause all the same, and Diaz balances wide-eyed innocence with strength and street smarts that make her more than a token damsel in distress. There's plenty of well-choreographed violence and decent performances all round, but little else to set this apart from other films in the genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the level of violence in Ruthless. Did you think there was too much or was it necessary to the story? Did it make a difference as to who was enacting the violence? If so, why was that? Do some types of media violence have different impact than others?
Human trafficking is a central theme. Can you think of other movies that tackle this subject? How do they compare? Why is it important to talk about subjects like this, but equally, why is it important to handle it sensitively?
Harry was a man on a mission for vengeance. What things do characters like this have in common? What things do they usually go through, what behaviors do they display, and how do they express themselves?
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 15, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : December 15, 2023
- Cast : Dermot Mulroney , Niko Foster , Melissa Diaz
- Director : Art Camacho
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Saban Films , Hulu
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence, language throughout and some sexual references
- Last updated : June 14, 2024
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