Starring: Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Taylor John Smith, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Claire van der Boom, Yael Stone, Andrew Shaw, Zac Lemons, Tim Draxl, Mel Jarnson
Distributor: Rialto Films
Runtime: 108 mins. Reviewed in Feb 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Washington DC. Rallies and protests, assassinations, and Liam Neeson, once again, as an action hero, uncovering conspiracies – as well as many scenes of him as a doting grandfather.
Neeson as action hero again. In fact, since 2008 when he appeared in the original Taken and proved his credentials for taking on this kind of role, he has averaged an action-adventure movie every year since. (You’ll find reviews for three of his most recent films – The Ice Road, The Marksman and Honest Thief here. He also has another two action-adventure films waiting for release – and then, he will appear as the classic private investigator, Philip Marlowe.)
In many ways, this is standard Neeson action. He plays Travis Block, a fond grandfather, though his daughter wary of him, fearing that he is going to turn his little granddaughter into a security expert – she is already alert to dangers in situations, her grandfather tutoring her. And, throughout the film, there are some pleasant grandfatherly sequences, Travis doting but then caught up in action and forgetting to turn up for the little girl’s play at school.
And, Travis has every reason to be distracted. The film is set in Washington DC and opens with a protest rally, a type of which Donald Trump would not have approved. The speaker is a passionate young woman and while we look forward to seeing and hearing more of her, she is set up and killed in what appears to be a hit and run accident. So, sinister beginnings.
A young man is seen at the rally, and it emerges that he is the speaker’s boyfriend, Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith). Crane is on the run, pursued, caught and interrogated by Travis, who, it is revealed, has been working undercover – which means then that we are on the way to a deadly conspiracy.
Crane has been in contact with an ambitious reporter, Vera (Raver-Lampman) who at first dismisses him but is then forced to take everything seriously. Travis goes on to enlist her help as well.
It is revealed that Travis has been working for years with the head of the FBI, Gabriel Robinson (an older-looking and not immediately recognisable Quinn). Travis has been doing undercover work for Robinson in payment of his rescue by Robinson from court-martial in Vietnam.
It builds to a confrontation, conspiracy revelations but justice is done and a happy family reunion.
Neeson made the film in Melbourne in 2021. While the four central roles are played by Americans, the long list of supporting characters are all played by Australians.
The director, Mark Williams, created the television series Ozark – and clearly has a dislike of some of the triumphalist aspects of the Trump years.
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