Yet another must watch: An early release in 2014 finally has come out on Blu -Ray.
NON-STOP starring Liam Neeson is an action/thriller based on an ordinary day in the life of Air Marshall Bill Marks. On a routine transatlantic trip Agent Marks receives a series of mysterious text messages. Text messages that claim that there will be a death every 20 minutes onboard the aircraft until 150 million dollars is transferred to an unknown bank account. The identity of the sender in unknown. The Air Marshal is certain that the sender is onboard. The only viable clue he has is that sender of the text messages has access to a mobile phone. Everyone onboard is suspect!
Unlike his hit thriller blockbuster TAKEN this mission does not unfold comfortably. The Neeson we see who is very much in control and always with a plan in his famous thrillers struggles onboard. This alone makes NON-STOP even more intriguing. I kept telling myself that one will not expect anything less from a Neeson movie and one would not have expected the change in dynamic in the flow of the plot. Phenomenally written the plot in NON-STOP isn't rocket science, in fact the movie on its own is plain and simple. It's how the flow of suspense and thrills is concocted and put on screen that I find whimsical.
Many movies have been attempted in the confined space of a make believe aircraft. The closest successful parallel that I can draw is to Jodie Fosters FLIGHTPLAN. Starting his career in the Movie scene of Hollywood with HOUSE OF WAX (2005) Spanish Director Jaume Collet-Sera has since been climbing out from the bottom of the barrel leaving the mediocre horror flick behind. He has only become better over time. His first collaboration with Liam Neeson in UNKNOWN was a massive hit and likewise this too will follow? What Sera and Neeson did in UNKNOWN was spectacular and similarly this (NON-STOP) mystery keep building up from the moment Neeson first appears on screen. It is safe to say that Neeson has safely established himself as the go to action/thriller guy since the mega hit TAKEN and he executes this one with great detail; as much detail as the screenplay allows him to.
Indeed there are flaws. As always is the case the scales tend to tip in the positive and the flaws can be overlooked if the damage isn't that obvious. Maybe Juliane Moore's agent felt that she needed work. The 53 year old redhead looks absolutely ravishing but her presence in the movie on the whole is quite questionable since she literally contributed nothing coming from Hollywood royalty. I for one enjoyed seeing her on screen but I kept expecting more. A lesson to be learnt for all female leads is to never star besides Neeson in an action/thriller because Neeson will over power you at every turn.
I reviewed it; now you decide!
TITLE: NON-STOP DIRECTED BY: JUAME COLLET-SERA STARRING: LIAM NEESON & JULIANNE MOORE RATED: PG13 RATING: 07/10 RUNTIME: 106 MINUTES
NON-STOP starring Liam Neeson is an action/thriller based on an ordinary day in the life of Air Marshall Bill Marks. On a routine transatlantic trip Agent Marks receives a series of mysterious text messages. Text messages that claim that there will be a death every 20 minutes onboard the aircraft until 150 million dollars is transferred to an unknown bank account. The identity of the sender in unknown. The Air Marshal is certain that the sender is onboard. The only viable clue he has is that sender of the text messages has access to a mobile phone. Everyone onboard is suspect!
Unlike his hit thriller blockbuster TAKEN this mission does not unfold comfortably. The Neeson we see who is very much in control and always with a plan in his famous thrillers struggles onboard. This alone makes NON-STOP even more intriguing. I kept telling myself that one will not expect anything less from a Neeson movie and one would not have expected the change in dynamic in the flow of the plot. Phenomenally written the plot in NON-STOP isn't rocket science, in fact the movie on its own is plain and simple. It's how the flow of suspense and thrills is concocted and put on screen that I find whimsical.
Many movies have been attempted in the confined space of a make believe aircraft. The closest successful parallel that I can draw is to Jodie Fosters FLIGHTPLAN. Starting his career in the Movie scene of Hollywood with HOUSE OF WAX (2005) Spanish Director Jaume Collet-Sera has since been climbing out from the bottom of the barrel leaving the mediocre horror flick behind. He has only become better over time. His first collaboration with Liam Neeson in UNKNOWN was a massive hit and likewise this too will follow? What Sera and Neeson did in UNKNOWN was spectacular and similarly this (NON-STOP) mystery keep building up from the moment Neeson first appears on screen. It is safe to say that Neeson has safely established himself as the go to action/thriller guy since the mega hit TAKEN and he executes this one with great detail; as much detail as the screenplay allows him to.
Indeed there are flaws. As always is the case the scales tend to tip in the positive and the flaws can be overlooked if the damage isn't that obvious. Maybe Juliane Moore's agent felt that she needed work. The 53 year old redhead looks absolutely ravishing but her presence in the movie on the whole is quite questionable since she literally contributed nothing coming from Hollywood royalty. I for one enjoyed seeing her on screen but I kept expecting more. A lesson to be learnt for all female leads is to never star besides Neeson in an action/thriller because Neeson will over power you at every turn.
I reviewed it; now you decide!
TITLE: NON-STOP DIRECTED BY: JUAME COLLET-SERA STARRING: LIAM NEESON & JULIANNE MOORE RATED: PG13 RATING: 07/10 RUNTIME: 106 MINUTES