Search
Search results
Awix (3310 KP) rated Cold Pursuit (2019) in Movies
Feb 28, 2019
Latest Hollywood remake of a film with the gall not to be in English (the horror!) is a better-not-call-it-black comedy thriller about a snowplough driver whose rampage of vengeance gets out of control. Liam Neeson drives a plough, murders a bunch of drug dealers, and doesn't think enough about what he says on the publicity tour; the quality of the film kind of vanishes into the backdrop as a result.
After a horribly choppy opening - is it a serious drama about grieving parents or another thickheaded Neeson revenge melodrama? - the film settles down to feel like a pastiche of the sort of thing the McDonagh brothers make, with genre elements drolly deconstructed with offbeat humour and a knowing provocativeness. It's just not quite quirky, funny, or intelligent enough; Neeson underplays it too much and film doesn't seem to have any real point to make. Some good jokes and it passes the time, but it would have slipped into obscurity fairly quickly if only Liam had kept his mouth shut on the junket.
After a horribly choppy opening - is it a serious drama about grieving parents or another thickheaded Neeson revenge melodrama? - the film settles down to feel like a pastiche of the sort of thing the McDonagh brothers make, with genre elements drolly deconstructed with offbeat humour and a knowing provocativeness. It's just not quite quirky, funny, or intelligent enough; Neeson underplays it too much and film doesn't seem to have any real point to make. Some good jokes and it passes the time, but it would have slipped into obscurity fairly quickly if only Liam had kept his mouth shut on the junket.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Taken (2009) in Movies
Jun 5, 2018
The best of the 3
A very good nitty-gritty action/thriller. It packs a real punch not just for the great action scenes and fights but also for the storyline and good acting. I wasn't convinced at first at casting Liam Neeson in this type of role, but he plays the part of a doting father hell bent on revenge and getting his daughter back very well.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Honest Thief (2020) in Movies
Oct 24, 2020
Decent crime thriller. Liam Neeson plays the In-and-Out Bandit (snigger), who has nicked $9 million out of some obscure principle, and also because he enjoys it. When he wants to settle down with his new lady friend, he tries to negotiate his surrender, but comes up against corruption in the FBI and finds himself framed for murder...
Looks like another one of those movies where some bad guys really tick off Neeson, leading up to the moment where he gets on the phone to them and does his 'I'm coming for you!' speech. And this one is a bit like that, but the violence is employed sparingly and it has a rather neat plot, too. The characters have a bit more depth than you might expect, too - Neeson is giving the same performance as usual, but not an actual bad one, while everyone else manages to find something interesting to work with: Jai Courtney is actually really impressive as his character gradually loses it. It's still a fairly modest genre movie, but it's better than the usual Neeson vehicle and genuinely involving and enjoyable.
Looks like another one of those movies where some bad guys really tick off Neeson, leading up to the moment where he gets on the phone to them and does his 'I'm coming for you!' speech. And this one is a bit like that, but the violence is employed sparingly and it has a rather neat plot, too. The characters have a bit more depth than you might expect, too - Neeson is giving the same performance as usual, but not an actual bad one, while everyone else manages to find something interesting to work with: Jai Courtney is actually really impressive as his character gradually loses it. It's still a fairly modest genre movie, but it's better than the usual Neeson vehicle and genuinely involving and enjoyable.
Peter G. (247 KP) rated Taken (2009) in Movies
Jun 24, 2019
Who wouldn't want a dad with a particular set of skills like Liam Neeson has.
This film moves at a great pace and is brilliant in its execution of what is simply a kidnap and rescue, its similar to John Wick for fight and weapon ballet but not as elegant.
Cant speak for the many unnecessary sequels but this one was a gem when it arrived on the scene, he will find you and he WILL kill you!
This film moves at a great pace and is brilliant in its execution of what is simply a kidnap and rescue, its similar to John Wick for fight and weapon ballet but not as elegant.
Cant speak for the many unnecessary sequels but this one was a gem when it arrived on the scene, he will find you and he WILL kill you!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Cold Pursuit (2019) in Movies
Nov 8, 2019
Confused
Let's face it, any film released nowadays with Liam Neeson as the main character is likely to be very similar to everything else he's done recently and also pretty poor. And sadly Cold Pursuit is no different.
The plot isn't anything new. It's Liam Neeson getting revenge on people again. Admittedly the setting and scenery are beautiful, it's just a shame the rest of the film can't live up to it I found the entire film very confused and wasn't entirely sure if it was meant to be a thriller, an action or a black comedy - it had aspects of all three and sadly not all of them worked, especially the humour. It was all a bit weird. And I adore Tom Bateman but his American accent in this is far too odd and I cringed every time he was on screen. And then there's the wasted Laura Dern and the pointless cops.
This is vaguely entertaining, but it dips in the middle and sadly suffers from a few acting faults and confusion on what genre it seems to lie in.
The plot isn't anything new. It's Liam Neeson getting revenge on people again. Admittedly the setting and scenery are beautiful, it's just a shame the rest of the film can't live up to it I found the entire film very confused and wasn't entirely sure if it was meant to be a thriller, an action or a black comedy - it had aspects of all three and sadly not all of them worked, especially the humour. It was all a bit weird. And I adore Tom Bateman but his American accent in this is far too odd and I cringed every time he was on screen. And then there's the wasted Laura Dern and the pointless cops.
This is vaguely entertaining, but it dips in the middle and sadly suffers from a few acting faults and confusion on what genre it seems to lie in.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Darkman (1990) in Movies
Mar 5, 2021
In The Shadows
Darkman- is a dark twisted superhero movie directed by horror icon Sam Raimi. Its a excellent film as well.
The plot: When thugs employed by a crime boss lead a vicious assault on Dr. Peyton Wilder (Liam Neeson), leaving him literally and psychologically scarred, an emergency procedure allows him to survive. Upon his recovery, Wilder can find solace only by returning to his scientific work developing synthetic skin, and seeking revenge against the crime boss. He assumes a phantom avenger persona called Darkman, who, with malleable facial qualities, is able to infiltrate and sow terror in the criminal community.
Unable to secure the rights to either The Shadow or Batman, Raimi decided to create his own superhero and struck a deal with Universal Studios to make his first Hollywood studio film.
Initially, Raimi's longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell was set to play Darkman, but the studio balked at the idea because they did not think Campbell could carry the role. Gary Oldman and Bill Paxton were also considered.
Sam had wanted to work with Frances McDormand but the studio resisted this notion and almost cast Julia Roberts before Pretty Woman made her a star. At one point, they wanted Demi Moore for the role. The director even tested Bridget Fonda but felt that she was too young for Neeson.
Its a excellent film.
The plot: When thugs employed by a crime boss lead a vicious assault on Dr. Peyton Wilder (Liam Neeson), leaving him literally and psychologically scarred, an emergency procedure allows him to survive. Upon his recovery, Wilder can find solace only by returning to his scientific work developing synthetic skin, and seeking revenge against the crime boss. He assumes a phantom avenger persona called Darkman, who, with malleable facial qualities, is able to infiltrate and sow terror in the criminal community.
Unable to secure the rights to either The Shadow or Batman, Raimi decided to create his own superhero and struck a deal with Universal Studios to make his first Hollywood studio film.
Initially, Raimi's longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell was set to play Darkman, but the studio balked at the idea because they did not think Campbell could carry the role. Gary Oldman and Bill Paxton were also considered.
Sam had wanted to work with Frances McDormand but the studio resisted this notion and almost cast Julia Roberts before Pretty Woman made her a star. At one point, they wanted Demi Moore for the role. The director even tested Bridget Fonda but felt that she was too young for Neeson.
Its a excellent film.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Krull (1983) in Movies
Aug 15, 2017
Great range of characters (1 more)
Good Sfx for the early 80's
Great fantasy adventure
Before Lord of the Rings this was the closest you got to a fantasy/action epic. Had good SFX for the time of filming '83! It has a wide range of characters and creatures as a group come together to rescue a princess. A little surprise it was a pg rating. Younger kids might find it a bit scary. Featuring a young Robbie Coltrane and Liam Neeson.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Haunting (1999) in Movies
Mar 5, 2021
Hill House
The Haunting- doesnt live up to the oringal, now thats with most horror remakes, and this is one of them. Liam Neeson and Lili Taylor did a good job. Why cast owen wilson, he does nothing in the film but just say "wow". Catherine Zeta-Jones was just there.
The plot: This horror tale focuses on visitors to the secluded mansion of Hill House who have been called to the isolated location by Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) as part of a study on insomnia. However, Marrow is really investigating fear, and he plans to scare the subjects, including the introverted Nell (Lili Taylor) and the seductive Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Unfortunately for Marrow and everyone staying at Hill House, the manor is actually haunted by an evil spirit out to torment its guests.
Steven Spielberg talked to Stephen King about doing a haunted house movie, and the two agreed that Robert Wise's 1963 film "The Haunting" was a benchmark of cinematic house horror, but after they started writing, the two had creative differences. Spielberg agreed with King's idea to use the real-life Winchester Mystery House, in San Jose, California, as a source of inspiration.
Just watch the oringal.
The plot: This horror tale focuses on visitors to the secluded mansion of Hill House who have been called to the isolated location by Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) as part of a study on insomnia. However, Marrow is really investigating fear, and he plans to scare the subjects, including the introverted Nell (Lili Taylor) and the seductive Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Unfortunately for Marrow and everyone staying at Hill House, the manor is actually haunted by an evil spirit out to torment its guests.
Steven Spielberg talked to Stephen King about doing a haunted house movie, and the two agreed that Robert Wise's 1963 film "The Haunting" was a benchmark of cinematic house horror, but after they started writing, the two had creative differences. Spielberg agreed with King's idea to use the real-life Winchester Mystery House, in San Jose, California, as a source of inspiration.
Just watch the oringal.
Chloe (778 KP) rated Made In Italy (2020) in Movies
Mar 28, 2021
Setting (1 more)
Liam Neeson
Obvious plot (2 more)
Over produced
Bad script
Obvious from the outset
So I understand this is James D'Arcys debut film. The setting was stunning and I liked the general plot, despite it being very obvious.
The reveal of one of the main plot points was done dismissively and quickly. The actors and actresses did well in their roles but the script was poor.
Time was spent on stupid cinematography rather than developing character e.g. there's an eating scene where the camera switches between the characters for far too long, this adds very little to the plot.
The reveal of one of the main plot points was done dismissively and quickly. The actors and actresses did well in their roles but the script was poor.
Time was spent on stupid cinematography rather than developing character e.g. there's an eating scene where the camera switches between the characters for far too long, this adds very little to the plot.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Commuter (2018) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Liam Neeson's special set of skills return
The Movie Metropolis Alternative Oscars have received over 650 votes so far and it’s proving to be the closest run awards ever. Make sure you cast your vote for the best films and performances from 2017 before March 6th.
Liam Neeson is this generation’s formidable action hero. From protecting his family in Taken and protecting his family in Run All Night, to protecting his family in Taken 2, and you know, protecting his family in Taken 3, Neeson is a family man if ever I’ve seen one.
Teaming up with director Jaume Collet-Serra for the fourth time, the rather excellent Non-Stop being their best work together, Neeson takes the action and moves it on-board, you guessed it, a commuter train. But does The Commuter work? Or are we starting to get derailed by these constant action roles?
Insurance salesman Michael (Neeson) is on his daily commute home, which quickly becomes anything but routine. After being contacted by a mysterious stranger (Vera Farmiga), Michael is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on the train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, he realizes a deadly plan is unfolding, and he is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that carries life and death stakes for everyone on the train.
The premise is a borderline carbon copy of what we saw in Non-Stop, but with Neeson battling a series of bad guys on a train instead of in the air, and while it is at times, ridiculous, it’s directed with the usual Collet-Serra sense of style that would make even a dog food commercial look intriguing.
Where last year’s Murder on the Orient Express opted for opulence and fairly static camerawork, here The Commuter utilises every part of the train to its advantage. From underneath the carriages, to through the windows and even cleverly framed through a ticket stub, Collet-Serra’s direction is unique, if a little over-stylised at times.
Casting wise, Neeson is the perfect choice to play the world-weary protagonist with a very special set of skills, after all, it’s a role he has been playing for many years now. Some might say typecast, I prefer to think of it as knowing what he wants. Elsewhere, Vera Farmiga is a disappointingly underused presence and it would have been nice to see her a little more throughout the fairly taut 105-minute running time. It’s also nice to see Sam Neill back on the big screen and he remains dependable company.
It’s a shame that Collet-Serra wasn’t given slightly more to work with as his ingenious camera trickery is at odds with the poor CG
The action is choreographed well considering the limitations of the set and while it’s clear that the carriages have been manipulated during some of the fight scenes, it’s still impressive to think of all the camera equipment being squeezed into a fairly small space. There’s always been something oddly satisfying at seeing 65-year-old Neeson taking down a group of ruffians half his age and that shows no sign of dissipating any time soon.
Unfortunately, it appears that the limitations of the set also manifested themselves in limits to the script. There are numerous scenes of Neeson pacing up and down the carriages with very little dialogue and while this worked reasonably well in Non-Stop, the result is less successful here, probably due to a less engaging supporting cast.
And while the cinematography is very clever indeed, the low budget, less than $20million in fact, means some of the CGI and special effects leave a lot to be desired, especially towards the film’s climax. It’s a shame that Collet-Serra wasn’t given slightly more to work with as his ingenious camera trickery is at odds with the poor CG.
Overall, The Commuter is another thrilling slice of popcorn entertainment from Jaume Collet-Serra and Liam Neeson. At 65-years-old, you’d think everyone’s favourite Irish actor would want to be settling down into cosier rom-com territory and who could blame him? I’m just thankful he’s not. The Commuter may be utterly preposterous and completely unoriginal, but you’ll have a blast watching it.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/01/20/the-commuter-review-liam-neesons-special-set-of-skills-return/
Liam Neeson is this generation’s formidable action hero. From protecting his family in Taken and protecting his family in Run All Night, to protecting his family in Taken 2, and you know, protecting his family in Taken 3, Neeson is a family man if ever I’ve seen one.
Teaming up with director Jaume Collet-Serra for the fourth time, the rather excellent Non-Stop being their best work together, Neeson takes the action and moves it on-board, you guessed it, a commuter train. But does The Commuter work? Or are we starting to get derailed by these constant action roles?
Insurance salesman Michael (Neeson) is on his daily commute home, which quickly becomes anything but routine. After being contacted by a mysterious stranger (Vera Farmiga), Michael is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on the train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, he realizes a deadly plan is unfolding, and he is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that carries life and death stakes for everyone on the train.
The premise is a borderline carbon copy of what we saw in Non-Stop, but with Neeson battling a series of bad guys on a train instead of in the air, and while it is at times, ridiculous, it’s directed with the usual Collet-Serra sense of style that would make even a dog food commercial look intriguing.
Where last year’s Murder on the Orient Express opted for opulence and fairly static camerawork, here The Commuter utilises every part of the train to its advantage. From underneath the carriages, to through the windows and even cleverly framed through a ticket stub, Collet-Serra’s direction is unique, if a little over-stylised at times.
Casting wise, Neeson is the perfect choice to play the world-weary protagonist with a very special set of skills, after all, it’s a role he has been playing for many years now. Some might say typecast, I prefer to think of it as knowing what he wants. Elsewhere, Vera Farmiga is a disappointingly underused presence and it would have been nice to see her a little more throughout the fairly taut 105-minute running time. It’s also nice to see Sam Neill back on the big screen and he remains dependable company.
It’s a shame that Collet-Serra wasn’t given slightly more to work with as his ingenious camera trickery is at odds with the poor CG
The action is choreographed well considering the limitations of the set and while it’s clear that the carriages have been manipulated during some of the fight scenes, it’s still impressive to think of all the camera equipment being squeezed into a fairly small space. There’s always been something oddly satisfying at seeing 65-year-old Neeson taking down a group of ruffians half his age and that shows no sign of dissipating any time soon.
Unfortunately, it appears that the limitations of the set also manifested themselves in limits to the script. There are numerous scenes of Neeson pacing up and down the carriages with very little dialogue and while this worked reasonably well in Non-Stop, the result is less successful here, probably due to a less engaging supporting cast.
And while the cinematography is very clever indeed, the low budget, less than $20million in fact, means some of the CGI and special effects leave a lot to be desired, especially towards the film’s climax. It’s a shame that Collet-Serra wasn’t given slightly more to work with as his ingenious camera trickery is at odds with the poor CG.
Overall, The Commuter is another thrilling slice of popcorn entertainment from Jaume Collet-Serra and Liam Neeson. At 65-years-old, you’d think everyone’s favourite Irish actor would want to be settling down into cosier rom-com territory and who could blame him? I’m just thankful he’s not. The Commuter may be utterly preposterous and completely unoriginal, but you’ll have a blast watching it.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/01/20/the-commuter-review-liam-neesons-special-set-of-skills-return/