Non-Stop

Rating: 6/10 (19 July 2015)

If you've ever read a review penned by me, you'd likely already know, I love Liam Neeson. That said, I really would have taken a connecting flight. This movie, although Liam doing his Liam thing that we all love, just plain sucked.* (See what I did there? ) Of course, you have to have 3 things to settle in with a Liam flick : A troubled past, a time limit, and an inevitable fight scene in a bathroom. In this aspect, Non-Stop doesn't disappoint. Although this matrix IS getting pretty old. Bill Marks, a down and out, troubled Air Marshall is seemingly called to duty on a non-stop international flight. The character is immediately likable, rough, tough kind of guy Liam Neeson plays best. Close to the vest, troubled past, true good guy. He didn't want to go on this ride either. That should have been warning enough. But noooooo, I chi continued. The "co-stars", for the most part, are B listers. Julianne Moore is the exception. But not a very significant one. Her character is so forgettable that, as I write this, her character's name escapes me. Annnnnnnddd, I really don't care enough to go look it up. This was not a pivotal performance, by any stretch. The film did its best to cast shadows and doubt throughout the film. Maybe it's that guy. Or what about that stewardess? But, pretty soon, I found that I simply didn't care. The every 20 minute death thing didn't feel right, timing wise. And, actually, it wasn't. But, there's the mark of a bored viewer. Timing the threat. Maybe it's because I'm used to this formula. Maybe it's because I'm psychic, whatever, I figured it out, long before I should have. Somewhere around the photo message. The backstory wasn't even well constructed. Marks says that his daughter, Olivia "would be 17"...Sloppy. Overall, another gratuitous violence movie stretching to be something more. Trying to allow the viewer to displace their own prejudices, but not actually achieving that goal. Simply, it's not the best. Maybe I just should have stuck with the in-flight movie.