TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! Imagine that your life is in tatters: your “with child” wife is whipped to near-death before your very eyes, you, a former slave, are beaten to a pulp, but still manage to survive. Six years later, “enrolled” in the Union army, your commanding officer makes you an offer you should probably refuse: take five other men, all as Black as yourself, then infiltrate and render impotent Fort Gibson with its mighty cannons, or face death if you don’t. What would you do? This is what writer-director Ashley Cahill’s Resurrection Road explores.
In all honesty, I am not one for films offering copious amounts of blood, guts and gore, but I was hoping that the narrative might hav more layers than just who can slit the most throats or blow up the most armaments; perhaps that’s a different film. In all bewildering likelihood, leading the doomed patrol is the aptly named Barabbas (Malcolm Goodwin). The name comes from a Biblical prisoner whom Pontius Pilate opted to release instead of Jesus, following the rabble and not the law. Such a thing couldn’t happen now, right? Anyways, Barabbas is more than up to the daunting task of bringing his disparate charges on a potentially fatal trek to their destination.
Also up to the challenge is Washington (Okea Eme Akwari), whose infectious smile might be hiding a different motivation for coming along. Apparently, second-in-command, Cuffy (Furly Mac), has no problems following the boss, whether or not any of them get out of their assignment alive. Initially lurking in the shadows is Tsula (Trianna Browne). Wearing the gold-braided epaulets of those who must be obeyed are Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ronnie Gene Blevins.
“…take five other men, all as Black as yourself, then infiltrate and render impotent Fort Gibson with its mighty cannons, or face death…”
Once Resurrection Road turns from a military operation to a survival of the fittest plot, be prepared for Dracula-like crypts and reincarnations most foul. This is the more interesting half, as revenge becomes a driving motivation. There are plenty of kills, and the high body count makes for an entertaining, if shallow, watch.
Mac savors every scene he’s in, making the most of his screentime. Browne deftly moves from bit player to leading lady as fate comes for the other characters. Akwari handles the action well while Goodwin is all stocism, though that works for how the part is written.
Journey down Resurrection Road for the carnage and revenge-fueled action. Yes, Cahill doesn’t go in-depth enough into what all these minorities face if they win or lose, but the body count is high and guns come ablazin’ often. At the end, hope against hope that his sort of gruesome scenario could never play out in real time.
Resurrection Road screened at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
"…the body count is high and guns come ablazin' often."
