Liam Neeson saves the world again
By Aidan Mouellic, Staff Writer
5/5
Liam Neeson is back to stop another life-threatening disaster in Non-Stop, which landed in theatres on February 28.
US Federal Air Marshal Bill Marks (played by Neeson) is on duty aboard a cross-Atlantic flight when he finds himself in the middle of a crisis situation. It’s apparent even before the plane takes off that Marks is not having a good day—the whiskey in his coffee before work is a good indication of that. During the flight, things go from bad to worse when terrorists onboard convey via text message to the alcoholic air marshal that they will kill someone every 20 minutes unless they receive a very large sum of money. Viewers expect nothing less from Neeson except to save the day and he gets to work quickly, trying to solve the mystery surrounding the flight loaded with 150 potential suspects.
Non-Stop manages to use the cramped quarters of the airplane to its advantage, creating a tense, fast-paced thriller. The film’s title couldn’t be more appropriate as the movie delivers excitement from the beginning until the very end.
Neeson somewhat reprises his role in the Taken films, and manages to dominate the screen with his powerful presence. The lovely Julianne Moore delivers a brilliant performance as frequent-flyer Jen Summers, who adores the window seat. Downton Abbey fans will also be happy to see the talented English actor Michelle Dockery as the ever-present flight attendant Nancy, who helps the air marshal in his mighty difficult duties.
What sets this film apart from other single-setting films is the pace and dynamism of the action onscreen. The timing of events in Non-Stop is dialled in perfectly: from each twist to every gunshot, everything has been surgically placed to create a thrilling ride for the viewers. Director Jaume Collett-Serra is not especially known for quality, but with time he is slowly mastering his craft. This is his second film with Neeson as the lead, which is quite the casting achievement considering Collet-Sera only began making films in 2005. His next film he will also feature Neeson as the lead, which means this power duo might be onto something.
Unless you have a fear of flying, this is one film you’ll surely want to catch.
