If ever a TV movie was so rightfully titled, it’s this one. Following the embarrassing spectacle of 24’s oft-and-deservedly-maligned sixth season, many acolytes of the series–few as committed as yours truly–reluctantly came to the realization that maybe this series has issued its last meaningful KER-CHUNK KER-CHUNK.

Season Six’s recycling of weathered 24 cliches–moles in CTU, shady Beltway power players pulling the strings of terrorists, excruciating non-Jack-Bauer-centric storylines, clumsy political sermonizing–certainly pointed to a writers’ room that was devoid of ideas.

So now we have the first original 24 content since May 2007, the seventh season teased briefly (zombie Tony?!!!) then shuttled away thanks to the writer’s strike. To further complicate things, creator Joel Surnow left the show and there have been rumblings of creative dysfunction on the Season 7 set.

But there’s always Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), still the most engrossing action hero on television. In this two-hour, real-time telemovie, he’s got significantly more on his shoulders than a looming geopolitical crisis or a rogue nuke–can he salvage this once-great show?

Here’s the short version: @#$% yes. 24: Redemption is exactly the kind of thing we should have seen in the series at least two seasons ago. Maybe three. The milieu shift from L.A. (hey, you think the terrorists would learn to steer clear of California since all their schemes are consistently thwarted) to Africa does wonders for the storytelling, and breathes exciting, new life into the mythology.

Here’s the deal (without getting terribly spoilery): after the bottom fell out on Jack’s life at the end of Season 6, he ran to the fictional African country of Sangala, where he met up with an old special forces pal named Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle).

To make up for whatever black-bag zaniness he once had partaken in, Benton has started an orphanage and school for Sangala boys and Jack has been helping around the place, keeping a low profile, and a rebuffing the stream of subpoenas demanding he return to America to answer for his killin’ and torturin’.

Sangala is a politically unstable place, however. A local warlord has been scooping up boys, brainwashing them and turning them into child soldiers, preparing for a full-scale coup. With American nationals clearing out the embassy, and the last helicopter leaving within the hour (remember this movie takes place in real time) Jack and Benton will have to bring the boys to safety, while rebels hunt them down. Needless to say, fools will be getting their balls ventilated by Jack Bauer.

Meanwhile, stateside, President-Elect Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) is about to be sworn in, much to the consternation of recently ousted Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe) and his squirrelly sidekick Tom. Little does Taylor know, that Jon Voight has his hands in the impending Sangala civil war and anyone that tries to peel back the scheme will likely end up expired. All of this will act as a lead-in to Season 7, telling the story of how Jack ends up back in America and what wondrous shady conspiracies await him.

And with that, the showrunners have grabbed my attention once more. Redemption has bought much goodwill. It’s a taut, exciting, emotionally impacting two hours, packed full of iconic Bauer moments–my favorite, when he’s talking trash to the useless UN worker and says “Why don’t you go hide in the shelter with the rest of the children.”–and moves effortlessly into the new season.

The change in setting is a winner and is something I had been looking forward to for several seasons. The real-time formula and the Jack character are TV gold, and by detaching them from the over-used textbook plays of compromised CTU buildings and fiddling Washington bureaucrats, they score new points. I love how Jack had to get the boys to safety within an hour; there was real danger and tension as the rebels closed in.

And these villains are truly villainous. The opening scene where we see the indoctrination of the child soldiers is brutal. When their eventual comeuppance comes at the hands of Bauer–and it does come–it is rewarding. It’s also nice to see the writers pushing the envelope again; one scene in particular will have you saying “Oh no they didn’t.”

The action is fierce as well. Two big firefights can be found as well as a neck stabbing, a one-on-two Bauer smackdown, some torturing, a leg-powered neck snap and the old favorite Leaping Out of the Way of an Exploding Out-Building.

Carlyle and Sutherland are great, and though we’ve only seen them together for a short time, their bond feels real. I’m not sold yet on the players in Washington–the new President could go either way and her jock son, who plays a large role in the plot, has done little other than present himself as an Abercombie model. Jon Voight, on the other hand, has the potential to be a legendary 24 douchebag

As is the case, the Jack stuff is the most compelling and the D.C. back-and-forth didn’t grab me. It’s not weak–rather, Jacks’ adventures in Africa were just so awesome any time away from them was down time.

One big complaint: there was Final Bad Guy Fight Scene hinted at, and I was saddened to be denied what could have been an epic throw-down.

Overall, a great slice of slam-bang Bauer action, and a luxurious salve for ill-tempered 24 fans and anyone cruising for a kick-ass way to spend two broadcast hours.

24 Redemption airs on November 23 at 8:00 p.m. on Fox.