David Mackenzie, the director behind Hell or High Water—arguably Taylor Sheridan’s most underrated and critically acclaimed film—returns this summer with Relay, a sleek new thriller starring Riz Ahmed and Lily James, and based on the atmosphere in the trailer, paranoia is back on the menu. The new movie, which had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival to strong reviews, will officially hit theaters on August 22, courtesy of Bleecker Street. Critics have already called Relay “a twisty, confident homage to classic paranoid thrillers” and “a great ride, firing on all cylinders”—with a strong Rotten Tomatoes score of 81% to back it up.
In Relay, Ahmed plays a hyper-disciplined fixer who operates in total secrecy, brokering dangerous deals between whistleblowers and the shady corporations who want them silenced. There’s no personal involvement, everything is off the record, none of this ever happened. That is, until James’ character steps into the picture—a potential client on the run with knowledge that could destroy powerful people. When she begs for his protection, Ahmed’s fixer has to break his own cardinal rule, setting off a deadly game of cat and mouse.
“We make the deal. You walk away. No complications,” Ahmed’s character warns in the trailer—before everything gets complicated.
Joining Ahmed and James in the cast are Sam Worthington (Avatar), Willa Fitzgerald (Reacher), Matthew Maher, and Victor Garber (Alias), bringing some serious firepower to this grounded but high-stakes thriller. The film was written by Justin Piasecki, with Mackenzie behind the camera in a genre shift from his usual neo-Western wheelhouse.
Why ‘Hell or High Water’ is Taylor Sheridan’s Best Work
While Sheridan is known these days for building a small empire of shows like Yellowstone, 1883, and Tulsa King, many still look to Hell or High Water—directed by Mackenzie from Sheridan’s script—as one of the most potent examples of his style: morally murky, character-driven, and laced with social commentary. With Relay, Mackenzie trades dusty Texas highways for international hotel rooms, hidden safehouses, and covert tech—but the themes of secrecy, survival, and systemic corruption remain.
Whether or not Relay earns the same critical acclaim as Hell or High Water (which scored four Oscar nominations including Best Picture), it looks like a cerebral, pressure-cooker thriller tailor-made for fans of Michael Clayton, The Constant Gardener, and yes, the grittier side of Sheridan’s work. And who doesn’t love a grown up thriller?
Relay opens in theaters on August 22.
Relay
- Release Date
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September 8, 2024
- Runtime
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112 minutes
- Director
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David Mackenzie
- Writers
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David Mackenzie, Justin Piasecki
- Producers
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Basil Iwanyk, Gillian Berrie, Erica Lee, Teddy Schwarzman, Charlie Morrison, Michael Heimler
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Sam Worthington
Uncredited
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