Spy tactics: Riz Ahmed as the “fixer” in Relay. Photo / Supplied
Spy tactics: Riz Ahmed as the “fixer” in Relay. Photo / Supplied
Relay, directed by David Mackenzie, is in cinemas now.
The term “competence porn” refers to the thrill viewers get from watching skilled characters perform tricky and clever tasks, often in a threatening or pressing situation. Jason Bourne is a master, with his ability to trouble-shoot in an instant. TV seriesThe Pitt exemplifies this in a medical context. Fans of MacGyver will know what I mean.
Conspiracy thriller Relay casts Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) as Ash, a New York broker of clandestine deals between corrupt players in the corporate world and whistle-blowers.
Living a monk-like existence in virtual silence, Ahmed’s quietly watchful fixer communicates with his clients via the Tri-State Relay Service: a platform for the speech- or hearing-impaired to place telephone calls using a keyboard device. These messages are never recorded or traced, so Ash is able to convey all kinds of potentially incriminating information without recourse – unless the baddies are listening on the other end.
David Mackenzie (director of the acclaimed Texas heist film Hell or High Water) creates a taut thriller as Sarah Grant (Lily James), a whistle-blower having second thoughts, enlists Ash’s help to give back the sensitive documents she took from her former employer. Ash starts watching his anxious client from the shadows, leaping to protect her when the powerful corporation engages its own hired guns.
Initially, Relay is full of promise as a sort of anti-action movie, leaning into its involved plot through realistic performances and strong acting. Ahmed is ever watchable and James makes a credible damsel in distress. Eschewing guns and violence, Ash’s expertise is demonstrated by carefully thought-out plans involving old-school, spy-craft dead drops and myriad cellphones.
But as the head of the corporation’s counterintelligence team, Sam Worthington (best known for 2009’s Avatar and forgettable since) just isn’t a compelling adversary and the film devolves into predictability as the oxygen is sucked out during the third act’s sub-par fight scenes. It’s a shame, because the movie world could do with more gentle brainiacs like Ash.
