{"id":4197,"date":"2015-04-06T13:34:02","date_gmt":"2015-04-06T17:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hardwoodandhollywood.com\/pop-culture-spin\/?p=4197"},"modified":"2015-04-06T13:34:02","modified_gmt":"2015-04-06T17:34:02","slug":"liam-neeson-shines-solid-actioner-run-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hardwoodandhollywood.com\/pop-culture-spin\/2015\/04\/06\/liam-neeson-shines-solid-actioner-run-night\/","title":{"rendered":"Liam Neeson Delivers in Actioner ‘Run All Night’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"neeson\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Fair or not, modern action films\u00a0generally receive a\u00a0bad rap from critics and audiences alike. What worked for\u00a0movie-goers in the 1980s, with action stars like Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme firing off machine guns, is not a draw to audiences of today. Most of these films are overshadowed by the saturated blockbuster-filled marketplace we now have.<\/p>\n

One of the few people to resurrect the genre from the dead is Liam Neeson, action lead of his recent successful foray, Run All Night<\/em>. Formerly known as the star of heavy dramas like\u00a0Schindler’s List\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Gangs of New York,\u00a0<\/em>Neeson’s career has pivoted to him being an action star. After\u00a0Taken\u00a0<\/em>was a surprising smash success, Neeson has built a career of being the steady lead in mostly middling action films, with entries like\u00a0Non-Stop\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Unknown\u00a0<\/em>failing to find the success he had previously. Luckily enough for audiences, his latest feature \u00a0Run All Night <\/em>rediscovers necessary footing.<\/p>\n

The premise of\u00a0Run All Night\u00a0<\/em>is quite simple. Jimmy Colon (Neeson) is a boozed-up former hitman living on the fringe of the crime-world that once consumed him. After a night of freak coincidences, Jimmy is reunited with his son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) as Jimmy is forced to kill the son of his former crime boss, Shawn\u00a0(Ed Harris). With the mob and police on their tail, all Jimmy and Mike can do is try to survive the night.<\/p>\n

Run All Night<\/em>, like most action films, is not a game-changer from the story department. The film, however, is a\u00a0desirable\u00a0return to the old school action films of the 80s, peppered with a\u00a0dose of grit\u00a0behind a\u00a0premise that\u00a0offers a\u00a0canvas for ensuing mayhem. High concept stories are not the\u00a0best route\u00a0for action movies. A certain sense of identity is present in Run All Night<\/em>, marking a refreshing turn for the genre.<\/p>\n

Neeson’s flick\u00a0has all the standard parts that compose an action movie, but these\u00a0facets\u00a0are better executed than lesser showings. Director Jaume Collet-Serra does\u00a0quality work here, keeping the film moving at a smooth clip while showing off the exciting nature of the mayhem\u00a0with a sense of style. All the excitement, from an exciting car chase to a shootout at a lake house, are executed close to perfection. These scenes in Run All Night <\/em>are also fun to watch without feeling derivative of similar features.<\/p>\n

Another big boost to the film is its cast, which bring their A-game to B-movie material. Neeson has become a\u00a0gigantic action star for a reason, as he brings gravitas and complexion to simple characters. As Jimmy, Neeson is playing perhaps his most unlikable character yet, but Neeson and the film do an admirable\u00a0job of showing his character’s regrets about being a family-neglecting\u00a0hitman. Supporting players like Kinnaman, Harris, and Oscar winner Common (love saying that), do\u00a0impressive work in supporting roles.<\/p>\n

Run All Night’s\u00a0<\/i>script, while formulaic in the story department, shines\u00a0in the\u00a0creation of\u00a0genuine relationships between these characters. Aspects like the friendship between Shawn and Jimmy, along with the estranged father-son relationship of Jimmy and Mike, are executed strongly\u00a0despite not being the focus of the film. These\u00a0traits add a much needed sense of pathos to\u00a0instill audience\u00a0connections with\u00a0the characters.<\/p>\n

While\u00a0Run All Night\u00a0<\/em>excels\u00a0in several aspects that make action movies work, it also has\u00a0definite\u00a0issues. Brad Inglesby’s script does build complex characters and dynamics, but it’s also\u00a0full of unrealistic plot\u00a0decisions that disconnect the audience. The film is also quite uneven, with the third act as a whole feeling\u00a0substantially more rushed and less exciting than the earlier parts.<\/p>\n

Run All Night\u00a0<\/em>is a workman-like action film in\u00a0various aspects. Overall, though, this\u00a0exhilarating piece of material is\u00a0executed well\u00a0when judged in its entirety. There are\u00a0enjoyable performances by a talented cast\u00a0combined with fun action setpieces.\u00a0Run All Night<\/em>\u00a0won’t redefine the genre, but it will\u00a0deliver on what it promises the audience.<\/p>\n

Grade: B\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fair or not, modern action films\u00a0generally receive a\u00a0bad rap from critics and audiences alike. What worked for\u00a0movie-goers in the 1980s, with action stars like Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme firing off machine guns, is not a draw to audiences of today. Most of these films are overshadowed by the saturated blockbuster-filled marketplace we now<\/p>\n

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