“Detective Knight: Redemption” is the latest movie authored and helmed by Edward Drake. The movie is a decent crime thriller starring “Die Hard” alum Bruce Willis as Detective James Edward Knight, John Cassini as Mayor Vassetti, Miranda Edwards as Captain Anne Shea, Paul Jhonson as Conlan, Beau Mirchoff as Casey Rhodes, and Lochlyn Munro as Knight’s ex-partner, Detective Fitz. The film follows the story of a veteran detective, James Knight, who’s awaiting trial for killing murder suspects. However, James is forced to get back into action to put an end to the bloody war instigated by a group called the “Real Saints of Christmas.”
Spoilers Ahead
‘Detective Knight: Redemption’ Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Movie?
The movie sets the mood with an overview shot of New York City, lit up for the holidays, and a gang of robbers called the “Real Saints of Christmas” tossing a Molotov cocktail toward a Christmas tree, reducing it to ashes. Their bloody Santa masks suggest that “Christmas is going to be bloody.” The group barges into a bank, shoots the security guards, and demands to make a withdrawal (sarcastically). The leader of the group justifies the robbery by saying the bank charges hefty overdraft fees, is an institution for corruption, and only cares about making big bucks by exploiting others. The cops arrive at the scene and are met with heavy resistance, and the robbers detonate the bomb they’ve already placed on the streets, incapacitating the cops.
“Detective Knight: Redemption” introduces James Edward Knight, played by Bruce Willis, who’s an ex-cop, ex-husband, and ex-military. Knight did two tours in Afghanistan, followed by stints as a cop in both the New York and Los Angeles police departments, and held many arrests as he had citations under his belt. Knight is held up in a federal prison, awaiting trial for multiple homicides. Like Knight, Casey Rhodes is also waiting for his trial and learns from his mail that his plea has been denied and he has been awarded 25 years in prison. Rhodes is desperate to get out and will do anything to earn his freedom. Rhodes was a drug addict and was apprehended during a robbery gone wrong. He is having a hard time letting go of his past and the pain and rage that come with it.
Detective Knight Joins The Hunt
The “Real Saints of Christmas” have claimed responsibility for the bombings and killings across New York City. We learn that the preacher Conlan, of the federal prison, is the leader of the group and was using his cover as a preacher to enlist more men to the cause. Christmas was getting bloodier by the passing hour, and the likes of the FBI and CIA were still in the dark. They’ve run gait analysis and analyzed every shell fired through IBIS, but there is still a dearth of evidence and leads. Desperate, the FBI decides to enlist the help of James Knight in their hour of need. Meanwhile, the preacher Conlan goes back to prison to gather more men, murders the warden, and opens the cell doors, initiating a mass breakout. He had already manipulated the detainees to exploit them when needed. Casey Rhodes, along with many other detainees who have now joined the “Real Saints of Christmas” FBI, pays a visit to Knight and offers to drop all charges pinned on him if he apprehends Conlan. The FBI also suspects Mayor Vassetti, who canceled his appointment just before the bank in Midtown was hit.
The Hunt Begins
Rhodes realizes that he could use the chance to cut a deal with the police so he could get out and be with his wife and daughter, and he sends his wife the address but is incapacitated by Conlan. Swat teams arrive at the scene and apprehend multiple escapees, but Conlan is tipped off and has left the property. Meanwhile, Mayor Vassetti is putting on a good show for the media and even sends a notice to Anna Shea if she fails to arrest Conlan. Mayor Vassetti just doesn’t care and has even had his itinerary marked for shopping while his city is under siege by a madman. In reality, he’s indeed working with Conlan and was passing along tips on where every bank in the city is consolidating its valuables. Anna Shea is onto Vassetti, and the latter is bothered after Knight’s ex-partner, Fitz, pays a visit to him in his office. Mayor Vassetti is in the line of fire and is desperate to steer suspicions away from him. Conlan has abducted Rhodes’ family, forcing him to join his ranks. Casey Rhodes is the same man who is responsible for restricting Detective Fitz to a wheelchair, and the latter is really unhappy after he learns that Shea had agreed to cut a deal with him to capture Conlan.
‘Detective Knight: Redemption’ Ending Explained – Did Knight Finally Capture Conlan?
Conlan and Knight both knew that the war was only going to end when one of them perished. From their conversation, Knight learns of Conlan’s next robbery target. This time, Conlan has planned to hit Wooddrake Antiques, a front for the 1%. Conlan, better known as the Christmas Bomber, wasn’t robbing banks for money (at least not at first); he intended to strike fear so people would be forced to put their valuables in one place. There’s no reason to rob a hundred banks when you can rob one. Conlan has even brainwashed Vassetti’s son to join his cause. Vassetti is forced to lead Conlan and his armed men into Wooddrake Antiques to save his son’s life. The bank is heavily protected, and Conlan forces are met with heavy resistance but manage to infiltrate the bank. Conlan wants to reboot the system and has a burning desire to play the system that once played him. He now holds enough riches to overthrow the government, bring about the great liberation, and mark it as an “unbreaking of humanity.” He’s someone who believes it’s best to bring the world to its knees if you have trouble changing it.
Knight walks into the bank, armed with a pump-action shotgun, and effortlessly shoots his way through the robbers, killing them all. Conlan aims his gun at Knight, but before he can pull the trigger, Fitz intervenes and fills his body with lead, finally ending the bloody war and liberating Christmas. Mayor Vassetti is apprehended for aiding Conlan, and Knight is acquitted on all charges. James is, in some ways, similar to Conlan. He was jailed for killing Jerry Leach, a convicted murderer who got out on a technicality. Knight killed Leach to stop him before he hurt someone else. Like Conlan, Knight is not afraid to break the law to do the right thing. He’s a moody, disorganized workaholic and hasn’t picked up a single cheque during his time as an LA detective. Thanks to his tours and military service, Knight has more experience than the rest of the guys in the department combined. For his service, James Knight was once again reinstated as an LA detective.
What About Conlan? Why Did He Hate The System So Much?
According to Conlan, the United States of America houses more prisoners than any other nation on the planet, out of which 74% haven’t even been convicted for the crime. They’re in there because they can’t afford to pay bail; they can’t even pay their mortgage or rent, while others sit in the comfort of their homes, laughing at them. This greatly upset Conlan, who, too, was thrown in a cage after he stood up for himself and the people. Conlan was special ops dispatched to places that weren’t even visible on the map and were forced to execute innocents under cover of serving his country. This prompted Conlan to go rogue, and he was court-martialed and sentenced to seven years in prison. While inside, Conlan’s son was killed in action, and he wasn’t allowed to see his son’s body lowered to the ground, which snapped something inside of him. Conlan wishes to wipe out corruption so that America can usher in a new era. Plus, his hatred for Christmas stems from the fact that the country has transformed the holiday into a giant mall of consumerism and corrupted the blessed holiday with its ugliness. His son died while fighting the government’s fake wars, and he is hell-bent on not letting it happen to anyone else.
“Detective Knight: Redemption” is a 2022 action thriller film directed by Edward Drake.
