After 9/11, Do You Really Feel Safe With Homeland Security?

Rating: 8/10 (13 February 2015)

Non-Stop is action packed from beginning to end. Bill Marks(Liam Neeson),was an ex NYPD officer at one time; until personal problems hit. Basically his drinking, the loss of his daughter to Cancer, and a failed marriage sent him over the edge. Once fired from the NYPD, he was transferred to TSA. He is now a Federal Air Marshal. He is getting ready to board an international flight to London. He is teamed up with another Marshal, Jack Hammond(Anson Mount). Marks is a nervous flyer especially during take off. Another passenger Jen Summers( Julian Moore), who wants a window seat gets one next to Marks. Once in the air, everything seems to be going smoothly. Bill gets up to go to the lavatory to sneak a smoke. Once he returns he receives a very personal text from one of the passengers. The text tells him to transfer 150 million dollars into account in 20 minutes. Marks gets up to see who it could be; he searches up and down the plane. He then alerts the Captain David McMillian(Linus Roach). The threat has to be reported to TSA, and be verified. Marks tells Nancy(Michelle Dockery) one of the flight attendants, as well as Gwen(Lupita Nyong'o).He knows Nancy well, and explains the situation. He tells her to meet him in the galley in back. Then he walks back to Jen's seat, flashes his badge; and tells her to come back with him. Since the only two people on the flight he trusts at the moment are Jen and Nancy he has a plan. He wants the two to view the cameras ,and tell him who might be using a phone to text. Jen keeps telling Bill, it's the guy up front(Jack). Bill tells her three time it's not him, but then Bill gets suspicious when he sees the camera. He texts Jack back to the galley, they talk; and Jack denies it. Jack returns to his seat, but five minutes later Bill's phone gets a text, Jack comes back to the lavatory with a briefcase. This time Jack and Bill have it out, the texts have been coming from Jack. Jack explains to Bill the money could really help him. This time the fight continues; and jack tries to kill Bill, but Bill breaks his neck in the bathroom. Afterwards Bill discovers what is in the briefcase, Cocaine. Bill, thinking the threat has been neutralized receives another text. Jack Hammond was just a fall guy, the threat is still on the plane. Another text comes through; if the money isn't transferred in twenty minutes someone on the plane will die. Once Bill receives this he notifies the Captain. Captain McMillian finds out the account is in Bill's name. McMillian is ordered to confiscate his badge and gun. McMillian tells Bill to just set back and enjoy the flight. Jen overhears what is going on, but instead of assuming anything she stands by him all the way. Bill refuses to just set back, someone is setting him up, and he his taking matters into his own hands. The texts continue back and forth, and the passengers are starting to ask questions.
Unaware to Bill, and the rest of the passengers are two ex-military passengers, Zack and Tom. They are the ones who are sending these texts to prove a point. They succeed in killing the pilot, and another passenger, Charles Wheeler(Frank Deal). The method they use is darts that are dipped in poison. The darts cause antiphalic shock, it is severe enough once injected nothing can be done. The way things are going makes Bill Marks look like he is the terrorist, due to his background. By then passengers are getting conflicting reports about Marks from the news. Marks goes back to the lavatory, and discovers a bomb. The bomb was hidden in the Cocaine. The bomb is a military style bomb that is impossible to disarm. He has thirty minutes to save the passengers, and with the help of some of them hopefully save the plane. In order to have any chance of survival, they will try a new procedure to protect the people when the bomb detonates. Around this time Bill Marks, and the rest of the passengers find out who is responsible for the terrorism. It is Zack White(Nate Parker); and Tom Bowden(Scoot McNairy). They carry this plan out to extort money from TSA. To show the people how flawed Homeland Security is.
This movie is good, except for some of the ending. No plane can sustain that much damage; and have somewhat of a happy ending. A known fact speaking from having Criminal Justice experience. If a law enforcement officer of any kind has a drug/alcohol problem they are finished. They would not have the opportunity to transfer to another agency. I guess that's why I gave it 8 out of ten. I would have given it a 9 out of ten if it wasn't that exaggerated. I really loved the story; and the way it keeps you guessing. Liam Neeson is also another plus to this film. He is one of my favorite actors who's talent, looks, and style are one of a kind.
THX, Kris L. CocKayne