Relay Movie Review: Is the 2025 Thriller Worth Watching?

Few thrillers manage to keep you guessing until the final frame, but Relay does its best to earn that description. Starring Riz Ahmed as a mysterious fixer who shields whistleblowers by routing communication through a relay service, the film asks how far you’d go to hide the truth.

Rotten Tomatoes critics score: 78% (early reviews) ·
IMDb rating: 7.0/10 (16K+ votes) ·
Director: David Mackenzie ·
Lead actors: Riz Ahmed, Lily James, Sam Worthington ·
Release year: 2025

Six key specs, one pattern: Relay blends classic thriller mechanics with modern surveillance themes.

The implication: these specs reveal a film that prioritizes tension over spectacle, a deliberate choice that shapes every aspect of its reception.

Is Relay a good movie?

What do critics say about Relay?

• The film holds a 78% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes from early reviews (ScreenRant).
• Critics consensus: “Steadily led by Lily James and Riz Ahmed, Relay is a fast-paced, engaging thriller that feels effortlessly original” (Rotten Tomatoes).
• Reviewers praise the Hitchcockian set pieces and old-fashioned tension (Rotten Tomatoes).

The pattern: critical praise centers on craft and originality, not on crowd-pleasing spectacle.

What do audiences say about Relay?

• Audiences have given it an IMDb rating of 7.0/10, based on more than 16,000 votes, according to Mindset Movie Reviews.
• While many enjoy the fast pacing and performances, the ending has proven divisive among viewers.

What’s the point of the movie Relay?

What is the plot of Relay?

Set in present-day New York, the story follows a professional fixer (Riz Ahmed) who runs a pay-for-play operation: he brokers cash payouts between corrupt corporations and whistleblowers who want to stay anonymous. His system relies on a relay service—phone routing, encrypted messages—to keep identities hidden. Trouble arrives when a new client, Sarah (Lily James), refuses to play by his rules and demands protection instead of just money (Rotten Tomatoes).

Who is the main character in Relay?

• The fixer, named Tom or Ash (Riz Ahmed), is the central figure—a man who exists in the shadows, facilitating deals while remaining invisible (ScreenRant).
• His rigid code of operation is tested when Sarah upends the usual client-fixer dynamic.

Is Relay worth watching on Netflix?

Should I stream Relay on Netflix?

It landed on Netflix on September 16, 2025, making it accessible to subscribers worldwide (Rotten Tomatoes). The trade-off is clear: this is a classic thriller with modern surveillance trappings, but its slow-burn pacing won’t suit action fans looking for constant explosions.

What are the pros and cons of watching Relay?

The catch: Relay is a film that rewards patience but punishes expectations of a tidy resolution.

Is Relay the movie based on a true story?

Is Relay inspired by real events?

No. The screenplay by Justin Piasecki is a fictional work, originally titled The Broker and featured on the 2019 Black List of unproduced scripts (ScreenRant). While it touches on real-world issues like corporate corruption and whistleblower protection, the characters and plot are invented.

What inspired the story of Relay?

• The concept of a relay service—an anonymous communications channel—provides the film’s unique mechanical backbone.
• Piasecki said the idea grew from questions about how whistleblowers could be protected without relying on journalists or legal systems.

Why did Sarah turn in the relay movie?

Note: Mild spoilers ahead.

What is Sarah’s role in Relay?

Sarah (Lily James) approaches the fixer not as a whistleblower looking to sell secrets, but as someone seeking personal protection from a powerful corporation. Her refusal to follow the standard protocol—she wants to expose the company, not just profit from silence—forces the fixer to adapt or abandon his system.

What is the ending of Relay explained?

Without giving away too much: Sarah’s actions lead to a confrontation that tests the fixer’s detachment. The film’s final act centers on whether he chooses to uphold his code or protect the person who broke it. The ending is intentionally ambiguous, leaving room for interpretation—a choice that has angered some viewers while satisfying others who appreciate moral complexity.

If you’re a fan of slow-burn thrillers with moral ambiguity, Relay offers a well-acted, visually tense ride—but its divisive ending means you may need to decide for yourself whether the journey justifies the destination. For Netflix subscribers willing to trade speed for atmosphere, the choice is clear: give it a weekend watch, or risk missing one of the year’s more interesting originals. Riz Ahmed’s portrayal of the fixer makes the ambiguity worth sitting through, even if the ending frustrates.

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