I give this 3 stars because there was some effort made here and it held my interest . As far as a crime drama goes it was just Ok, but it certainly is not an action film or a thriller. Think a really bad episode of some detective TV show, one with a low budget and no name actors. At the heart of this, there is a very dark tale, unfortunately there is no real talent here to sell that story. The direction is lifeless, the cinematography just adequate, the script is completely unrealistic. Even worse , it appears that they filmed some scenes, then changed their mind about certain details and so there are mistakes in the film. Maybe they didn't have enough money to reshoot ? Those mistakes are kind of glaring. The acting is also not very good, one guy was so bad I had no idea what his character was trying to convey. Throw in some supposedly emotion-charged scenes that totally do not work, that are so poorly written and acted they are cringe worthy and you end up with a crime mystery you can easily skip. In fact thinking about it, the 3 stars is very generous.

The narrative of Respite is compelling, dark and dramatic as it weaves a story around cultural taboos, through the adage "win at any cost", along with peripheral mosaics of savage acts against humanity, only to twist, interlace and ultimately reveal its fully entwined tapestry of truth. The production reveals a sensitive history filled with challenges requiring moderation and restraint, pivoting on the admission of complicit consent of a western force embedding itself along side unrecognizable foreign customs. The juxtaposition of personal consuming grief and professional credos weigh heavy against the omnipresent battle of good over evil and light over dark. The evocative score adds a haunting underlayment artfully enriching the audience experience with a soulful shroud of emotion. In one word, Respite is - compelling.