Rise Of The Footsoldier: Retribution sees Pat Tate (Craig Fairbrass) return following 2023’s Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance, and after they killed his mate, he wants… can you guess? Yes, Retribution.
Following a 1994 Bosnian bank heist – in which I questions why do the bank security even bother to argue when baddies have guns? It’s insured. Just hand it over! – the action then moves on to Ibiza, where Pat goes to get… retribution by killing Fisher (Andrew Loveday) in a nightclub, but gets distracted. Still, he’ll keep.
Thus, their story arc continues, as Fisher only wants to be a drug dealer, but Greener gets him into an arms deal that he doesn’t feel he can handle, but Fairbrass punches his way through the baddies like there’s no tomorrow in a film with with some great kick-ass action, even though the film does tread water a bit from time to time, and could cut about 10 mins out of it.
It’s also frequently humourous, such as when an innocent-looking farmer reveals he’s hiding some sticks of dynamite, adding, “These go Tick! Boom!”… and also unintentionally, when a neck-slice is done with a relatively blunt knife that’s only fit for cutting up apples… AND which misses the jugular by a mile (clue: it’s at the side, NOT the front)
What made me laugh the most, though… you know the awful Aviva advert, where Italian Dad Gino hands his failing restaurant over to daughter Gina? Well, here, he’s now Muslim weapons salesman Mustafa Habib (Joe Ferrera, is the name), but there were no spinning pizza ovens…
Also, Leo Gregory (Screw Series 2) has the unfortunate duty of looking like Tommy Robinson, 10 years from now…
However, with Jana Pérez (The One) and Vanessa Bauer bringing added glamour to the series, can they please return for No.8?
Oh, and I’ll always mention – because I loved the game, even if others didn’t – Battlefield V with Craig Fairbrass, alongside Fionn Walton in their Under No Flag segment. I always wanted to see what the pair did next. Maybe reunite for that eighth film?
NOTE: There are some mid- and post-credit scenes, as per the video below.
Rise Of The Footsoldier: Retribution is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 90 minutes
Release date: August 28st 2026
Studio: Signature Entertainment
Bleecker Street
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Rating: 8/10
Director: Nick Nevern
Producers: Andrew Loveday, Andrew George Southern
Screenplay: Andrew Loveday, Nick Nevern
Music: Ross Power
Cast:
Pat Tate: Craig Fairbrass
Col. Sullivan: Tamer Hassan
Captain Sergio: Leo Gregory
Sam: Jamie Foreman
David Hexell: Phil Davis
Maria: Jana Pérez
Isabella Chaika: Vanessa Bauer
Miller: Ross McCall
CIA agent: Vincent Regan
Fisher: Andrew Loveday
Greener: Nick Nevern
DCI Jones: Kirsty J Curtis
Kenny: Josh Myers
Aziz: Christopher Sciueref
Detective Jackson: Tony Denham
Isabella’s Dad: Mark Strange
Mustafa Habib: Joe Ferrera
Frankie: Franky Lankester
Officer Mendez: Natasha Starkey Wilkie
Ricky: Byron Gibson
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.