Rendel: Dark Vengeance (2016)/Rendel: Cycle of Revenge (2024) - Kris Gummerus, Tero Salenius, Minna Nevanoja

[AlbertV]

Rendel is the dream project of Finnish filmmaker Jesse Haaja, who created the character when he was fourteen years old.

A dark avenger is born when a worldwide corporation known as VALA launches an untested vaccine called Nh25 into the market by bribing, threatening, and killing every official opposing them.

"Rendel unleashes his own special kind of hell against VALA, threatening to put an end the distribution of Nh25 As blood spills and the money burns, VALA recruits a group of mercenaries to do what they seemingly can’t, eliminate Rendel permanently. The first superhero film from Finland, RENDEL, is based on the comic book character created by director, Jesse Haaja."

Kris Gummerus plays the titular vigilante. The film was shot from October 2015 to April 2016. The film was picked up by Raven Banner Entertainment for North American rights.

 

Edited May 12 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

VideoETA has the film set for a DVD/Blu-Ray release date of January 30 under the full title Rendel: Dark Vengeance. Shout! Factory is releasing the film.

 

Edited January 17, 2018 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

I saw the film Monday while I was sick and I really liked it. Nice action sequences (inspired from Krav Maga or Keysi Fighting Method, bringing a more brutal grounded style) but even better IMO, the film's combinations of present day and flashbacks, the latter which shows the lead character of Ramo going from beloved family man to the titular Rendel (the name comes from the Hungarian word for "Order"). Kris Gummerus really surprised me because if you see him as Ramo, he is more suited to play a family man type and not a dark avenger hero type...yet he pulls it off nicely. I hope there will be a sequel to this.

https://worldfilmgeek.com/2018/03/28/rendel-2017/

Edited March 28, 2018 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

My prayer has been answered. Jesse Haaja confirmed at Cannes that he will begin shooting Rendel 2 in early 2019.

https://filmcombatsyndicate.blogspot.com/2018/05/rendel-2-moves-forward-at-raven-banner.html

As I mentioned, Kris Gummerus really surprised me in the titular role. Here he is without the mask.

Edited May 24, 2018 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

Teaser poster for Rendel 2

[AlbertV]

A new still promo for Rendel 2. Jesse Haaja finally finished the script and production is set to begin soon. 

[AlbertV]

I had to translate this article: https://muropaketti.com/elokuvat/elokuvauutiset/rendel-2n-kuvaukset-alkavat-pian-supersankarielokuvan-jatko-osassa-ei-suomea-puhuta/

But shooting is set to begin in September and unlike the original film, the sequel will be shot totally in English. Kris Gummerus returns to the titular role and will be joined by Sean Cronin, Kaitlyn Boye, Tero Selanius, Minna Nevanoja, and Jonah Paull. It sounds like Cronin will serve as the main villain this time around, a character named "Smiley".

[AlbertV]

Shooting has begun

 

[AlbertV]

Awesome news! Bruce Payne, who played the lead villain in Passenger 57 is appearing in Rendel 2 as the character "Edward Cox".

Payne (in the shades) with Kaitlin Boye (who plays Fugu), Kris Gummerus (who plays Rendel), and Sean Cronin (who plays the villain Smiley).

The Iron Sky franchise helmer Timo Vuorensola is also appearing in the film as a character named "Wannabe". 

Edited July 21, 2021 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

Sean Cronin, Kaitlyn Boye, Bruce Payne, Kris Gummerus, and director Jesse Haaja (top to bottom)

[AlbertV]

Some more on-set pics of Rendel 2: Cycle of Revenge as it is now called.

 

Edited October 17, 2019 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

Congratulations goes out to the original Rendel. At the Sydney Film Festival, the film was nominated for ten awards and won four awards:

• Best Thriller Award
• Best Music Award
• Best Trailer
• Best Special Effects

And the first official photos of Rendel 2 have been released at Finland's Muropaketti, with Jesse Haaja revealing that he has learned from all the technical problems with making the 1st film and has planned something more structured. He believes Rendel 2 will be much better than the original.

“In the first part, everything came as a bit of a surprise every day, and then the problems were solved a little too much from the flight. After that, we swore to ourselves that we would not have to go through the same situation again. This time it took almost a couple of years to prepare, so I and the whole team had the attitude that we could make the film as planned without any major problems. Unfortunately, there were quite a few surprises there when certain things weren't quite as expected. Yes, that is where most of the plans for the task force went to the rubbish bin Fortunately, our core team has done so much work together over the years that they were able to react quickly and re-insert the pages for virtually every day. It is not an ideal situation to have lighting and picture plans made the night before. The manuscript also had to be reinvented with the belief that it was possible to realize it. The sequel focused on making a clearer, more controlled action film. It did a great job of it, even though it was sometimes like a 'go-to-headwind'. I believe that Rendel 2 will be better than its predecessor in every way possible. ”

[AlbertV]

So there hasn't been an update since last June. Jesse Haaja said in an interview with a Finnish newspaper that while principal production was completed before the pandemic his planned reshoots were put on hold but somehow was able to complete the film without the reshoots. He has decided that while waiting for the production company, he's taking a break from films and focusing on his personal life. Oh and Jesse is engaged to Australian actress Bianca Bradey, who appeared in the original film.

https://muropaketti.com/elokuvat/elokuvauutiset/haastattelu-rendel-2sta-ei-ole-kuulunut-kuukausiin-mitaan-nyt-ohjaaja-jesse-haaja-kertoi-mika-supersankarielokuvan-tilanne-on/

[DarthKato]

Damn, this looks awesome! I'm defiantly going to be checking out the first movie soon. 

[ShaOW!linDude]

This is on Tubi for anyone interested. I watched it last night.

Overall it's a fun flick with a nice production value. The action is fairly solid and well paced. Lots of fisticuffs. The choreography is more like street fighting than MA based, though it pops up here and there. The acting is pretty good, and the plot isn't too campy, though not without its questionable aspects. It's a good effort. Honestly, the combat could stand to be a little more stylized and given some flair. Hopefully that will be the case with the 2nd venture. Other than that, it's certainly worth watching one time if you have a liking for superhero/vigilante styled films.

[DarthKato]

Just watched Rendel: Dark Vengeance today and it was awesome! You can defiantly tell this was a passion project for the people involved. The action was really fun, with Rendel beating the hell out thugs and hired goons, while taking bullet and stab wounds that seem to just piss him off.  I enjoyed the characters( RENDEL is a badass!), who had some surprising depth that I wasn't expecting( I even felt kind of bad for Rotikka, even after all the horrible things he did). Goes to show that the writing was really good, even if I did find myself confused from time to time. It even had some well done bits of dark comedy( What happened to the One-Eye guy near the end had me rolling. It reminded me of that famous scene in Indiana Jones, where he shoots that sword dude) to cut through the rather dark and gloomy tone. I can honestly say that this first attempt at a Superhero movie by the folks in Finland is a hundred times better than most of the ones we get here in the US. I'm really looking forward to the sequel now. So yeah, If you like Action/Superhero movies, then check this one out. I think you will enjoy it. Rating: 5/5 ( I know that may seem high, but I really, REALLY enjoyed this movie).

[AlbertV]

There is a reason with no updates. In February 2022, Jesse Haaja announced his retirement from directing. His last work was a music video for Finnish band The Rasmus. The fate of Rendel II is still up in the air. Hopefully, there will be answers and it looks like should the film happen, there will be a sword fight between Rendel and Smiley.

 

[DarthKato]

8 hours ago, AlbertV said:

There is a reason with no updates. In February 2022, Jesse Haaja announced his retirement from directing. His last work was a music video for Finnish band The Rasmus. The fate of Rendel II is still up in the air. Hopefully, there will be answers and it looks like should the film happen, there will be a sword fight between Rendel and Smiley.

 

Man, that sucks. I really hope they find a way to finish the sequel somehow. 

[AlbertV]

I think after 3 years it's safe to officially say Rendel 2 is no longer happening due in part to Haaja's retirement due to constant issues he had making the film alongside the pandemic. If Haaja decides to finish the film I'll update the post. 

[DarthKato]

On 12/28/2023 at 2:35 PM, AlbertV said:

I think after 3 years it's safe to officially say Rendel 2 is no longer happening due in part to Haaja's retirement due to constant issues he had making the film alongside the pandemic. If Haaja decides to finish the film I'll update the post. 

[AlbertV]

On 1/19/2023 at 10:10 PM, DarthKato said:

Man, that sucks. I really hope they find a way to finish the sequel somehow. 

Exciting news came from Film Combat Syndicate: Rendel: Cycle of Revenge is back from the dead!!!! Black Lion Pictures has released an official trailer and dates are set to be announced soon!!!! Jesse Haaja is still retired but maybe if the film does well enough, he could come out of retirement???

 

[AlbertV]

Oh man...I just read this from a Finnish newspaper from 2023

Haaja was fired after completing 70 percent of the film in 2020. The film was completed by producer Miika J. Norvanto and screenwriter Pekka Lehtosaari.  Haaja said this in 2020:

"Most of the work group's preparations had to be rethought right before filming, and the script had to be applied all the time on the fly, because it simply couldn't be implemented with the budget and schedule we ended up working with. However, we had several years to plan and prepare the film well. We agreed with the production company that we will now make sure that this time is used to advantage, that it will not be like the first time, where we had to constantly apply and solve problems. But then, in the end, many things were left to the very last minute and unfortunately a large part was also left unrealized or unrealized because of that,"

Norvanto said this about Haaja:

"As Haaja has told the public, he could not film all the material required for the film. In reality, he left more than 30% of the film unshot and changed the script without the permission of the producers and the screenwriter, basically doing whatever he wanted regardless of the consequences. The screenwriter was never asked for alternative lines or to change the line of the scene, which is a common practice in the industry and in accordance with prevailing conventions. The jointly agreed budget and shooting schedules were also not respected."

"When the filming was over, the producers weren't allowed to see any cut versions until the film had been cut into the format decided by Haaja in the spring of 2020. The cut final product was so creepy that Haaja was asked to make numerous corrections to it. The director didn't agree to do them anymore."

This isn't blasting either party but instead giving both sides to the story as to what has happened. I'm just glad we're finally going to get it regardless of what happened behind the scenes. 

Haaja announced his retirement in 2022:
"The film industry simply consumed so much time and soul that I decided not to give it any more. I felt that I had to choose whether I wanted to be present for my children and myself, or whether I would continue the squirrel's wheel that burned candles from all possible ends"

Even though he's still getting a sole director credit on the film, he is no longer going to talk about it, saying that if the film is getting released, it's not his film anymore. 

https://muropaketti.com/elokuvat/elokuva-artikkelit/riitatilanteeseen-ajautunut-rendel-2-tehdaan-loppuun-ilman-ohjaajaa-se-ei-ole-enaa-minun-elokuvani/ (Finnish)

Edited May 13 by AlbertV

[AlbertV]

Rendel: Cycle of Revenge is now available to rent or buy on Digital. 

[AlbertV]

Rendel: Cycle of Revenge came out on DVD yesterday. Despite Jesse Haaja being fired from production in 2020, somehow Mikka J. Norvanto and Pehta Laatosaari somehow made a sequel that is just as good as the original IMO. Sean Cronin is definitely a great villain in "Smiley", the new head of the VALA Corporation. He's slick in front of cameras, but is ruthless when it comes to VALA's real efforts. The action is both grounded and brings a bit of stylization when it comes to his "alter ego" Marla, played by Jessica Wolff (replacing original actor Alina Tomnakov). The whole film is in English this time, not Finnish with subs. It was meant to be shot entirely in English due to the international following. I enjoyed this one. 

Edited July 31 by AlbertV