SAS: Red Notice

SAS: Red Notice
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Magnus Martens
Screenplay by	Laurence Malkin
Based on	SAS: Red Notice by Andy McNab
Produced by	Joe Simpson Kwesi Dickson Andy McNab Laurence Malkin
Starring	Sam Heughan Ruby Rose Andy Serkis Hannah John-Kamen Tom Hopper Noel Clarke Owain Yeoman Ray Panthaki Anne Reid Tom Wilkinson Jing Lusi
Cinematography	Nick Remy Matthews
Edited by	Megan Gill
Music by	Benji Merrison
Production companies	Ingenious Media Silver Reel Creativity Capital Parabolic Pictures Altitude Film Entertainment The Electric Shadow Company J3 Film Finance Lipsync Productions
Distributed by	Sky Cinema
Release date	12 March 2021 (2021-03-12) (United Kingdom)
Running time	123 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	$198,432[1]

SAS: Red Notice (also known as SAS: Rise of the Black Swan^[2]) is a 2021 British action thriller film directed by Magnus Martens, based on the novel of the same name by Andy McNab and starring Sam Heughan, Ruby Rose, Andy Serkis, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hopper, Noel Clarke, Owain Yeoman, Ray Panthaki, Anne Reid and Tom Wilkinson.^[3]

SAS: Red Notice was released in the United Kingdom on 12 March 2021 by Sky Cinema.^[3]

Plot[]

Black Swans, a family-owned private military company led by American citizens William Lewis and his adult children Grace and Oliver, was hired by SAS commander George Clements to help a transnational Britgaz gas pipeline clear through a remote village located at the fictional Gveli Pass in Georgia. They faced resistance and started a massacre. Their atrocities were secretly filmed by a teenage girl who led them to receive red notices and they were accused of crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court demanded that the UK extradite the accused to the Hague to stand trial, because they live in North London. It turned out Prime Minister Atwood was behind Clements. He secretly ordered Clements to kill William on the scene instead of arresting to cover up the link.

SAS operator, Tom Buckingham, who was at the "arrest" later takes his girlfriend, Sophie Hart, on a romantic train journey from London to Paris where he intends to propose to her with his grandma's bequest, a ring that was said to be chopped off the finger of a Maharaja during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Sophie is unsure whether they understand each other properly, whereas Tom is unsure whether he truly loves her. But the remnants led by Grace Lewis hijack their train while it is en route in the Channel Tunnel, taking all of the passengers on board hostage at gunpoint. Buckingham escapes from the train and uses his military skills to save a little girl when Sophie refuses to come with him and is now amongst the hostages on board the train.

Grace asks for a $500 million ransom from the Britgaz gas company in exchange for leaving the hostages and them unharmed or else she'll blow up the tunnel and the secret Britgaz Gas Pipeline that also passes from the tunnel and invites Clements for a negotiation. Grace records her conversation with Clements. Later, Grace finds out via Declan Smith, a head member of the SAS Counter Insurgency Team in the operation and also a friend of Tom who's constantly updating him about his position, that Tom's girlfriend Sophie is also on the train and takes her hostage. Tom goes back into the train to save Sophie but fails. Grace escapes with Sophie through the gas pipeline with Tom in pursuit. Meanwhile, Grace's team uploads the video and tries to escape hiding among the hostages but are sniped by SAS operatives. Upon not finding Grace among the Hostages, Clements finds out that Smith is the snide. But once out of the pipe Grace blows up the Pipeline with Tom escaping narrowly. Clements and all of the SAS operatives appear to be killed in the explosion excluding Smith. Grace hits Sophie with a knife and runs away but Sophie asks Tom to catch Grace instead of being with her. Tom catches up with Grace and kills her after a struggle and realises that he does truly love Sophie. Later, during their trip, Tom proposes Sophie to marry her and Sophie refuses at first but agrees after seeing his tears of love. The UK PM and Britgaz representative are now being questioned and all of the blame is now transferred upon Declan Smith as he's the sole surviving member of Grace's team. Tom and Sophie get married in Spain where Tom is then briefed by his superior, Clements, who survived the explosion, to find Smith during his wedding.

Cast[]

Production[]

It was announced in November 2018 that filming had begun in Budapest on the film. Sam Heughan, Ruby Rose, Tom Wilkinson and Owain Yeoman were announced as being cast at the time.^[4]

Filming continued to February 2019, with London and Paris also serving as filming locations. Andy Serkis, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hopper, Noel Clarke, Ray Panthaki, Jing Lusi, Douglas Reith, Richard McCabe and Anne Reid were announced as being in the cast.^[5]

Release[]

Theatrical[]

The film was released on 12 March 2021 by Sky Cinema.^[3] In February 2021, Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, and set it for a 16 March 2021 release.^[6]

Home media[]

SAS: Red Notice was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 12 July 2021 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment under Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The film was retitled SAS: Rise of the Black Swan on Netflix to avoid confusion with the Netflix-produced film Red Notice which was also released in 2021.^[2][7]

Reception[]

Critical response[]

According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 21 reviews, with an average rating of 5.10/10.^[8]

References[]

External links[]

• SAS: Red Notice at IMDb