Executioner (2024) Review

Executioner (2024) Review

Dare to cross the Executioner? William Willoughby (Young Sherlock, The Marlow Murder Club) and Peter Benedict (Doctor Who, Rise of the Footsoldier: Part II) adapt Benedict’s acclaimed stage play, Deadlock, for the screen, in this smart and witty British political thriller that’s set to arrive on UK digital 6 July, courtesy of Reel2Reel Films.

Blending black comedy and psychological chills with sophisticated shades of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operatic classic The Mikado and Anthony Shaffer’s lauded play Sleuth, Executioner descends into the depths of betrayal and vengeance for an unexpected, edge-of-seat, thrill-ride.

Writer, co-director and star Benedict leads a talented ensemble, comprised of Christian Greenway (Emmerdale, Wedding Season), rising star Max Raphael (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Slaughterhouse Rulez) and Christina Cole (What a Girl Wants, Casino Royale).

Even without knowing that Executioner is adapted from a stage play—specifically actor-director Peter Benedict’s own work, Deadlock—its theatrical origins quickly become apparent. With the action confined almost entirely to a single room, the film rarely escapes the limitations of its source material. The marketing suggests echoes of Anthony Shaffer’s Sleuth; another celebrated play successfully adapted for the screen more than once. However, unlike those versions, Executioner struggles to transcend its stage-bound roots, offering few cinematic flourishes and even fewer genuine surprises.

Most of the film’s twists are telegraphed well in advance, with the exception of a late revelation that genuinely caught me off guard. Unfortunately, one unexpected turn is not enough to sustain the narrative. Instead, Executioner settles into an increasingly static rhythm, relying on a succession of power plays and one-upmanship that never generates the tension or excitement it clearly aspires to. There are flashes of sharp, well-crafted dialogue, but they become overshadowed by a story whose supposed surprises rarely surprise.

The small cast delivers committed performances throughout. Christian Greenway is particularly impressive as the assistant to politician Robert Marlow, whose role includes procuring young men for his employer. Greenway brings a commanding physical presence and delivers his dialogue with confidence and charisma, injecting much-needed energy whenever he appears on screen.

Despite the cast’s efforts, Executioner ultimately buckles under the weight of its theatrical origins. Rather than feeling like a fully realised cinematic adaptation, it plays more like a filmed stage production, lacking the visual imagination and cinematic ambition needed to justify the transition from stage to screen.

Credit: Executioner is on UK digital 6 July from Reel2Reel Films

Trailer