Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
Return to Silent Hill protagonist James Sunderland
Horror Movies Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
Sally Hawkins as Laura in Bring Her Back
Horror Movies Horror is (finally) in at the Oscars 2026, but the Academy still overlooked the best genre performance of the year
Rachel McAdams in Send Help
Horror Movies Evil Dead director's new horror movie debuts to positive first reactions, calling it "sadistic" and "incredibly funny"
Daisy Ridley as Ava in We Bury the Dead
Horror Movies We Bury the Dead director says Star Wars' Daisy Ridley was "pushed to her limit" shooting the new zombie horror
Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning as Gustav and Rachel in Sentimental Value
Drama Movies Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgård discuss unlikely friendships and avoiding cliche in Sentimental Value
Britt Lower as Helly R in Severance
Horror Movies Severance star is sent down a paranoid rabbit hole in first look at new horror movie
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
Ghostface in Scream 7
Horror Movies Scream 7 review: "Never as sharp as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve"
Jessie Buckley as Ida/Penny in The Bride
Horror Movies The Bride earns mixed first reviews, as critics call it everything from "a modern classic" to "unholy mess"
Jessie Buckley as Ida/Penny in The Bride
Horror Movies The Bride's violence was "pulled back" after test screenings, but director Maggie Gyllenhaal stands by what was kept in
Erin Kellyman as Jimmy Ink in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple director Nia DaCosta made sure the return of that character was not “a big return of the superhero”
Joe Kerry as Travis 'Teacake' Meachum and Georgina Campbell as Naomi Williams in Cold Storage
Horror Movies Stranger Things star's new zombie horror Cold Storage is a love letter to gooey, goofy sci-fi from the early 2000s
Scooby-Doo the series/Scooby-Doo: The Movie
Netflix Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard chimes in with thoughts on Netflix’s live-action show
Brie Larson in The Marvels
Horror Movies As Sony wins bidding war, Brie Larson's creature feature drops new plot detail – and now we're itching to find out more
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Adventure Movies

Return review

A soldier struggles returning to everyday life after a tour of duty

Reviews
By James Mottram published 26 March 2012

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Velma gets PTSD, as Scooby Doo 's Linda Cardellini plays Kelli, a National Guard soldier readjusting to civvie life in Liza Johnson’s downbeat but dead-on directorial debut.

Impulsively quitting her blue-collar job is just the first sign that she’s unable to cope, as Johnson skilfully avoids clichés by quietly building below-the-surface psychological tension.

Reversing his Take Shelter role, Michael Shannon convinces as her grounded husband and Mad Men ’s John Slattery offers good support as a fellow vet. But this is Cardellini’s film, and she dominates with a terrific, tough-minded turn.

You may like
  • Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
  • Return to Silent Hill protagonist James Sunderland Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
  • Sally Hawkins as Laura in Bring Her Back Horror is (finally) in at the Oscars 2026, but the Academy still overlooked the best genre performance of the year
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
James Mottram
James Mottram
Social Links Navigation
Freelance writer

James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on GamesRadar+ and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.

Read more
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Horror Movies 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
 
 
Return to Silent Hill protagonist James Sunderland
Horror Movies Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
 
 
Sally Hawkins as Laura in Bring Her Back
Horror Movies Horror is (finally) in at the Oscars 2026, but the Academy still overlooked the best genre performance of the year
 
 
Rachel McAdams in Send Help
Horror Movies Evil Dead director's new horror movie debuts to positive first reactions, calling it "sadistic" and "incredibly funny"
 
 
Daisy Ridley as Ava in We Bury the Dead
Horror Movies We Bury the Dead director says Star Wars' Daisy Ridley was "pushed to her limit" shooting the new zombie horror
 
 
Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning as Gustav and Rachel in Sentimental Value
Drama Movies Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgård discuss unlikely friendships and avoiding cliche in Sentimental Value
 
 
Latest in Adventure Movies
Karl Urban as Captain Connor in The Bluff
Action Movies The Boys star's new swashbuckling actioner compared to Pirates of the Caribbean in mixed-positive first reviews
 
 
Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Sebastian Hansen in A Minecraft Movie
Adventure Movies A Minecraft Movie 2 producer drops the biggest hint yet that the Ender Dragon will appear in the sequel
 
 
Dwayne Johnson in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Adventure Movies Dwayne Johnson shares a new behind-the-scenes look at Jumanji 3 and tribute to Danny DeVito as his co-star wraps filming
 
 
Skeletor in Masters of the Universe
Adventure Movies Masters of the Universe director refused to compromise on Skeletor's look: "F**k that, he has a skull face"
 
 
Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay in The Mummy
Adventure Movies A fan favorite Mummy star is hopeful to reunite with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz
 
 
Skeletor in Masters of the Universe
Adventure Movies New Masters of the Universe trailer unveils its Superman-esque plot and Jared Leto's Skeletor
 
 
Latest in Reviews
The design of the YoloLiv YoloCam S3
Peripherals This webcam promises DSLR image quality, and it isn't too far off
 
 
Crimson Desert
RPGs Crimson Desert review: "A game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story"
 
 
Alien RPG Evolved Edition Core Rules on a wooden surface
Tabletop Gaming Alien: The Roleplaying Game Evolved Edition review
 
 
A Nyxi Flexi on a desk with pink lighting turned on
Gaming Controllers This controller lets you swap between Xbox and PlayStation thumbstick layouts
 
 
Key art for Marathon showing a colorful cybernetic character with a gun taking cover
FPS Games Marathon review in progress: "Bungie has created my favorite multiplayer shooter in years"
 
 
Invincible season 4
Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 review: "The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Long-haired man aims drawn bow toward deer standing at a distance in a foggy forest
    1
    Overwatch co-creator says free-to-play games require "2 thousand devs cranking out f***ing keychains like a sweatshop"
  2. 2
    Ex-Skyrim artist says the Resident Evil remakes are "cool" but trying to do the same with Bethesda games isn't "viable"
  3. 3
    Crimson Desert review: "A game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story"
  4. 4
    Daredevil: Born Again season 2 showrunner and EP say Bullseye is "the hero in his own mind"
  5. 5
    Nintendo has finally fixed the Switch 2 GameCube emulator's terrible analog stick mapping

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...