Liam Neeson........on a plane!!!

Rating: 6/10 (18 February 2017)

'Non-Stop' is yet another action vehicle for Liam Neeson and director Jaume Collet-Serra, having previously worked together in 'Unknown'. Entertaining and thrilling, but this flight is a long one.
1. For the most part, the movie has a mysterious and intriguing setup. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sucked in at the beginning. The plot involves former cop and now 'Federal Air-Marshall' Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) as he reluctantly performs his duty overseeing a red-eye flight from New York to London. He soon begins to receive random and threatening text messages from a mysterious terrorist who just may be one of the passengers on board. I honestly thought the plot might have been straight forward, but it ends up being more intricate and I was pleasantly surprised.
2. As interesting of a mystery this film is, it turns into more of a thriller not long after. When the unknown figure lives up to his threats, the tension begins to build as Liam Neeson races against the clock to find the killer. However, all good things must come to an end. For a movie that has a great beginning and middle, the twist that is revealed in the last third is heavily underwhelming. The film plays to it's advantage as a suspenseful thriller, but looses all momentum when it delves into the generic action realm at the end. It feels like studio interference to the original script.
3. If there is one saving grace, it is Liam Neeson himself. For an actor who has jumped into action films in recent years, Neeson is still a theatrically trained actor and he delvers an exceptional performance no matter what he stars in. Julianne Moore, Corey Stoll and Michelle Dokery round out the cast. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o also appears, but she is completely misused in her role. This film was on the brink of being something more than what it was, but it all comes down to wasted potential. I personally enjoy thrillers, but I was disappointed to say the least.
Even though the movie lost a lot of points for the climax, It was still an entertaining flick. If you're a fan of Liam Neeson, then no matter the flaws, this would still be on your watch-list.