From the official synopsis: A mesmerisingly fractured tale of vengeance, grief, and disintegrating lives, Derelict . . . explores the aftermath of a gruelling murder and the intersection of two lives who are forever scarred by the events. Through fragmented timelines carefully woven together and a striking blend of black-and-white and colour cinematography, the film captures a world where justice, memory, and morality blur into one.
Director/Cinematographer/Editor/Cowriter Jonathan Zaurin’s harrowing feature Derelict (U.K., 2024) is not “just another” revenge thriller with a female lead. Far from it. Rather, it is a harrowing journey through Hell for its protagonist Abigail (Suzanne Fulton in a powerful lead performance), who seeks to avenge the murder of her father Ben (Dean Kilbey).
Abigail’s quest takes her through the mean streets and dangerous alleyways of her city, places that her father’s killers, fresh-out-of-prison Ewan (Pete Bird) and his troubled brother Matt (Michael Coombes), know all too well. Planning meticulously for her mission is not her forte, and what little thinking ahead she does falls short, sometimes with brutal consequences.
The world that Abigail inhabits both physically and psychologically after her father’s death is an ugly one that Zaurin — who cowrote the powerful screenplay with Kat Ellinger, Michael McKenzie, Todd Rogers, and Sarah Zaurin — captures effectively in both black-and-white and color. Fulton, Coombes, and Bird are strong leads, and the supporting players that besides Kilbey include Ayvianna Snow and Nick Cornwall, among many others, all give solid performances.
Derelict is no feel-good revenge movie, but it is definitely a well-helmed and well-acted one worth watching for devotees of gritty crime dramas.
Derelict is on UK digital now (Miracle Media) and Blu-ray 22 September (101 Films).
