Jack Bauer is returning tonight in order to show all the “24” aficionados out there that he is more alive than ever and that he is prepared to return to the battleground and teach those bad guys a lesson. It’s been almost a year and a half since we haven’t seen Kiefer Sutherland fill the shoes of the Fox hero and, thus, we might as well consider that he has had sufficient time to regain strength and bring us back some real action.

In spite of the fact that the series’ seventh season is scheduled to premiere in January next year, the network will serve fans an appetizing hors d’oeuvre on Sunday night by airing a two-hour film called “24: Redemption,” which should help viewers catch up with Jack’s latest adventures and offer them a hint on what to expect from the show’s Season 7.

In addition, the movie may also be taken for an independent production that has no past and future, although I think it would be hard to give up on Jack Bauer after watching him eliminate the villains and save the day.

“Redemption” picks up some three years after the point where Season 6 left off, finding Jack Bauer in the story bound African country of Sangala, where he works as a missionary together with an old friend, Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle), whom he helps run a school for young boys meant to offer rescued soldiers instruction and edification.

However, Jack can’t possibly stay out of trouble for a long time, as a government representative comes to Africa with a subpoena so as to force Bauer to travel to the United States and give his testimony upon the torture techniques he once made use of.

Moreover, Kiefer Sutherland’s character discovers that Sangala is endangered by a group of rebels, who are forcing naïve young people to join the militia and help bring down the government.

In the meantime, back in the U.S., President-elect Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones), the first female president of America, finds out during her inauguration day that General Juma (Tony Todd) is intending to organize another coup. Although she is warned by her predecessor, Noah Daniels (Powers Booth) to stay out of the affair, she is thinking about interfering in the plans of the coup’s mastermind, who turns out to be a dappled businessman (Jon Voight), who is backing the move.

Therefore, Jack Bauer cannot sit back and watch how things are ruined by insurgents and gets involved in the matter without more ado.

The action-packed “Redemption” should quench fans’ thirst for “24,” at least until January and although a two-hour film can’t make up for 18 months of air suspension, it can definitely boost television viewers’ thrill with regard to the series’ upcoming season.