"Blacklight" Review

If you’ve seen a Liam Neeson action movie since he starred in Taken in 2008, you’ve seen Blacklight. It’s the same old, don’t let the wrinkles fool you, “this agent has forgotten more than you’ve learned kid” type of tale. Truth be told, I love these types of films. Give me my ninety minute running time, some snacks and I’m down for the ride. This, however, is a near two hours of Neeson phoning in his schtick and it’s barely worth a streaming watch.

Travis Block (Neeson) is a government operative who is ready to throw in the towel in search of a life where he can be a better grandpa. He wasn’t the best father to Helen (Yael Stone) and he wasn’t a good husband to her mother. While the chance at redemption is his focus, the recent death of political figure, Sofia Flores (Mel Jarnson), needs his attention. Travis has a best friend/former war buddy/handler of sorts with FBI director Gabriel Robinson (Aidan Quinn). Gabriel is the type of best friend that says he appreciates Travis making something happen only to call him his weapon later in the film. It’s the call me back in to the game that we’ve seen in films like “Fortress”, “Out of Death”, or “Survive the Game” that has been done better.

As the film moves along we’re introduced to Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith). He’s the young operative that just might blow the “silent hand’s” cover. He must be stopped by Travis, but the closer that Travis gets to Dusty the more things aren’t as they seem. If Travis can’t help, who can? A journalist (Emmy Raver-Lapman) who is willing to tell the truth at all costs, that’s who! 

So it goes. Can everyone survive long enough to get the truth out to the world? Sprinkling in some nice chase sequences and fight scenes, writer/director Mark Williams has a bland action film that could be background noise as you do the dishes. This one just isn’t interesting.

Rating: D

"The Marksman" Review: A Paint By Numbers Flick

What if the man with a particular set of skills was being chased by men with a particular set of skills? I’m mixing movies, but “The Marksman” is a slow burn film more in line with a Clint Eastwood “get off my lawn” type of film. In fact, the main character says “why’d you have to cross my land?” at some point in the movie. It’s the mixture of storylines we’ve seen before with no innovation that makes this film marked for death. 

Jim (Liam Neeson) is a recent widower who is trying to keep his ranch afloat. His wife’s battle with cancer has taken a toll financially and he’s behind on his mortgage. While he tries to figure out how to make ends meet, he does find comfort at the bottom of a bottle. 

In an instant, his life is changed when Rosa (Teresa Ruiz) and her eleven year old son, Miguel (Jacob Perez), try to cross his land on the Mexico/US border. The mother/son duo are running from Maurico (Juan Pablo Raba), an underboss in a nameless Mexican cartel. Jim has a standoff with the cartel that ends with people dead on both sides. This results in Jim reluctantly honoring Miguel’s mother’s dying wish to get him to Chicago to reunite with family. 

The film becomes more of a buddy road trip picture over action film as Jim begins to bond with Miguel. Jim is from an older time. He doesn’t carry a cell phone, has to use a map to get across the country, and automatically assumes Miguel doesn’t speak English because he doesn’t speak (which gives some rather cringeworthy moments of dialogue as Jim tries to communicate). As most movies like this go, both characters eventually open up to one another and grow together as they try to evade the cartel.

Mark Patten’s cinematography is beautiful. The undeniable majesty of sunsets and country landscapes are captured exquisitely throughout the film. The extreme wides of an old western flick mixes in with the tight shots of modern action giving the film a nostalgic feel, much like its protagonist. Particular attention should be given to Juan Pablo Raba’s performance as Maurico. The villain of the film has to be believable and Maurico is scary. At any time he seems like he could go crazy, but he’s also a soldier who has a considerable amount of constraint. Rather than playing Maurico as full on bad guy, Raba gives him glimpses of humanity throughout different beats of the film that don’t make Maurico look weak but rather a human who has evolved into a monster. 

There’s so much about this film that is predictable unfortunately. A trained marine who uses his credit card along the highways while being chased by the cartel doesn’t make much sense. A map is dropped with the destination point circled in bold red. It’s a very paint by numbers film with less emphasis on action than conversation. Neeson is certainly filling the shoes of the aged, stoic action hero Clint Eastwood has left behind. Unfortunately, this movie misses the mark and will get left behind in the genre as well.

Rating: C-

"Men In Black: International" Review: Neuralyze Me Now Please!

If you’re banking on the chemistry of Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth carrying the Men In Black franchise to new heights, think again. They may have been great together in Thor: Ragnorok, but Men In Black: International focuses more on spectacle than story. With foreshadowing bread crumbs more like muffins, the writing on the wall is easy to read for this movie and let’s hope it’s the same for the franchise’s demise.

Molly (Thompson) witnesses Men In Black agents visit her home as a child. While her parents’ memory was erased, her’s was not. She has spent her life, since that night, trying to find the secret organization. When she finally does, she’s taken in as a probational agent. She’s shipped to London to join Agent H (Hemsworth) on the latest mission to save the planet as a compact weapon that can destroy an entire planet makes its way through various hands. 

Rather than focusing on an original story and character development, writers Matt Holloway and Art Marcum focus more on familiar themes that made the franchise successful in the past. Production set pieces, aliens, and tech take the foreground over a plot and creating Agents M and H to be more than stereotypes. The fish out of water and the party boy get swallowed up inside the MIB world as forgettable people.

Director F. Gary Gray is one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood. While he has created notable films in the past, his presence in helming this film is absent. This feels like a studio driven film and a missed opportunity to have a talented director leave a mark. 

This film reeks of not believing its audience is smart enough to keep up with its plot. Therefore, Men In Black International instantly becomes a forgettable entry in a franchise that has overstayed its welcome. If they could neuralyze me seeing this film, I’d take it now!

Rating: D

Middleburg Film Festival '18: "Widows" Review

In lesser hands Widows would be a run of the mill heist film. Give this script to any other director and you may not be challenged to keep up visually in the way Steve McQueen intelligently crafts this film. Give this script to any other cast and the words wouldn’t be elevated from the page to create characters that we see transform throughout the course of the film. Grab your popcorn folks; this is why we go to the movies!

Set in Chicago, Veronica (Viola Davis), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) and Amanda (Carrie Coon) are found grieving the loss of their criminal husbands. After the hubbies perish in their latest heist attempt, their death means nothing to the people they owed. Local crime boss turning politician, Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), seeks the money that Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson) and his crew stole from him on principle, but also because he’s running against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), the man whose family has been alderman of their district for two generations prior. Manning’s motive for getting the two million dollars is solid and with his cold-blooded gangsta brother, Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya), eager to help his brother win the elected spot, Veronica has no choice but to get to work. Equipped with a notebook her husband Harry left, Veronica decides that she can get out of debt and start a new life if she and her fellow widows can pull off the big caper Harry plotted out.

McQueen’s work has always been raw, dark, and visually biting. He’s able to use those elements, set against the climate of current day Chicago, to give us a memorable, blockbuster heist film. The opening itself is a Soviet Montage of sorts that doesn’t lovingly bring you into the story but crashes together in a rhythmically edited mashup that quickly brings the audience up to speed. McQueen leads the story with his camera, laying the ground work for his actors to step in and knock the ball out of the park, and they come through.

This review would be too long if each cast member got their time to shine here, but know that they do. Of note, Davis delivers a stellar performance as per usual by giving Veronica an internal conflict that is exhibited in a way that only Mrs. Davis can do over the course of the film! Elizabeth Debicki may certainly have the best character development throughout the film as you literally watch a shutdown and abused widow become a leader and empowered woman. All of the lead and supporting cast give us well rounded characters to watch on screen.

McQueen and co-screenwriter Gillian Flynn never telegraph an overt message in dialogue, but rather McQueen uses visuals to explain the issues in Chicago. The political race between Mulligan and Manning is a plot point, but there is a larger conversation to be had in our minds as audience members about the violence in the streets of the Chi. There’s a beautiful single take shot that shows the economic disparity that pushes the story forward while making you think afterwards. 

The only small issue with the film may be in the eagerness to gain their dignity and respect, there is an ever pervasive message of the widows trying to prove themselves in their words. Their actions already show that they’re more than capable so we don’t need on the nose lines like “no one thinks we have the balls to pull this off!” While well delivered from Davis, it would be nice to be shown more than told. This in no way takes you out of the film or detracts from the empowerment that it delivers.

Widows proves that heist films can have layered meaning and story to them. It’s a good night out for the ladies, date night, and even time for the fellas! However you see it, make sure it’s in a theater. It will be well worth the money spent!

Rating: A

"Run All Night" Review

In his third collaboration with Liam Neeson (“Non-Stop”, “Unknown”), director Jaume Collete-Serra gives us another suspenseful action film. While there is nothing very original about the story, “Run All Night” is a buddy movie masquerading as a survive the night film. It’s the gravity of the relationships in the film that give it stakes that work for the genre.

Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) is a washed up hitman, plagued by the faces of those he’s killed. Local mob boss, Sean Maguire (Ed Harris) keeps Jimmy’s basic needs met out of a twisted guilt for making him an abandoned, shell of a man due to deeds done under his leadership. Sean’s son Danny (Boyd Holbrook) tries to bring Albanian heroine into the family business but is rejected in a meeting before a Christmas party. 

The rejection sends the Albanians after Danny to recoup the money they paid him to get his father’s blessing. In an ironic twist of fate, Mike (Joel Kinnaman), Jimmy’s estranged son and a limo driver, drives the Albanians to meet Danny. When Danny botches killing both Albanians, Mike witnesses Danny finish the job, and thus becomes Danny’s target. Before Danny can kill Mike, Jimmy puts a bullet in Danny’s neck. 

From there, “Run All Night” becomes a master class in acting brought to you by Neeson and Harris. As the two old friends become instant enemies, Sean sends everyone on his payroll to find and kill the Conlon duo. This includes Price (Common) a hired assassin with a score to settle with Jimmy. Writer Brad Inglesby does a significant job in keeping the dialogue out of campy one liners, and uses subtext in such a way to build the tension and suspense. In one scene, Jimmy meets with Sean in a public restaurant to ask Sean to spare Michael’s life. They go from sharing a drink and fond memories together to laying out the rules of engagement in such a smooth way that could only be done after decades of friendship. 

New York, New York in the hands of cinematographer Martin Ruhe is a very different New York than we’re used to. The bright lights can become scary when you have someone hunting you down, and Ruhe capitalizes on that in the film. Whether using the lights of Times Square, Madison Square Garden, or the grid patterns from an aerial shot, Ruhe is able to create something special that really adds to the tension of film.

The great thing about survival films is that there is usually a built in clock that keeps the pace moving and suspense thick. As Jimmy and Mike try to survive the night there are plenty of scenes from other films that get “Frakensteined” into this one. Yet, for what it is, this film succeeds in keeping your attention and will have you on the edge of your seat. After all, it is Liam Neeson with a gun! 

Rating: B