Relay (2025) Review: Riz Ahmed and Lily James Can’t Save This Thriller Snoozefest

Relay

Directed by: David Mackenzie

Written by: Justin Piasecki

Starring: Riz Ahmed, Lily James

Release Date: August 22, 2025

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

A Thriller Without Thrills

Relay is the overly chewed bubblegum of movies. There’s a hint of flavor at the start, but soon enough, you’re left with a soggy, flavorless mass that you only keep chewing because you paid for it. It’s the kind of film you’ll regret watching before the credits roll.

The movie stars Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed as James, a fixer who helps whistleblowers return stolen information to corrupt corporations, blackmailing them into leaving his clients alone. It’s an unusual concept that could have been sharp and suspenseful. Instead, Relay is a lifeless slog of repetitive scenes featuring James typing messages on a special device while a third-party relay service reads them aloud. That’s it: typing, staring, pacing, rinse and repeat.

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A Great Director Stumbles

Director David Mackenzie shocked audiences with Hell or High Water (2016), a gripping modern Western brimming with tension and layered characters. Here, his talent is nowhere to be found. Relay feels like a failed TV pilot, a bland procedural stretched to feature length.

Even with Ahmed’s immense skill and Lily James as Sarah, a sweet but naive scientist being hunted by corporate thugs, the film has no spark. Their characters rarely interact directly, leaving them with zero chemistry. Instead of a taut thriller, viewers get a plodding exercise in style without tension.

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The Premise: Clever, but Pointless

James’ use of relay services—designed for the hearing-impaired—to communicate securely with clients is a neat narrative detail. Unfortunately, the movie leans so heavily on this gimmick that it becomes tedious. For a film marketed as a sleek thriller, it’s astonishing how much time is spent watching characters silently type while a robotic voice speaks their words.

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Wasted Talent

Riz Ahmed plays a former whistleblower turned fixer, but his character is neither heroic nor compelling. His performance is subdued to the point of invisibility. Lily James fares no better as Sarah, a vulnerable scientist holding proof of a company’s plan to poison the public. Together, their scenes are meant to carry emotional weight but feel flat and lifeless.

Mackenzie’s choice to drain the energy from every interaction results in a thriller with no pulse. Even action or suspense scenes feel perfunctory, as if they exist solely to break up the monotony.

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Final Verdict

Relay had potential: a gifted cast, a unique premise, and a director known for delivering gripping drama. Instead, it’s a boring, joyless misfire that plays like a network procedural destined for cancellation.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

If you’re looking for Riz Ahmed at his best, revisit Sound of Metal. If you’re looking for David Mackenzie’s brilliance, stick with Hell or High Water. Relay is not worth your time or ticket price.

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