In what easily could have found a place as another forgettable casualty in the bin of bad “hijacked planes”movies, Liam Neeson proves his mettle as a 61-year old action star and pushes Non-Stop full throttle into a completely satisfying thrill ride.
Neeson, re-teaming with his Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra, plays Federal Air Marshall William Marks who finds himself the beacon of reason and survival for the NYC to Heathrow bound British Aqualantic 767 flight. With its brisk pace, within fifteen minutes into the film, the sullen alcoholic Marks finds himself the target of a terrorist who promises the death of one occupant of the plane every twenty minutes (via text messages on his encrypted government phone) until $150 million dollars is transferred into a designated bank account.
Marks tries to anonymously scope out the aircraft and identify the person behind the imminent threat, but the time limit ultimately proves too much to save lives, and panic spreads amongst the passengers. There is only so much time he can keep the entire situation under wraps. If you see a tense person pacing up and down the aisles of your flight more than 5 times in twenty minutes, I’m sure you’d start to ask questions of his said sanity and your subsequent safety.
The twenty minute countdown clock plot provides a solid backbone to the story and effectively maintains both the film’s tension and pace. It also provides sufficient breathing room for Neeson’s Marks, who also is framed as the terrorist, to try and crack the case where let’s say ten minutes would have rushed any hope to build deductive coherence.
There are of course twists and turns along the way, which helps separate Non-Stop from other films in the genre. Make no mistake, paint by numbers plot points should be expected, but the film’s guessing game of ‘Who’s the bad guy on the plane?” ultimately won’t insult your intelligence. The screenplay provides a satisfying enough Hollywood third act and ending, and thankfully doesn’t belittle the audience’s attention to detail by slapping you with the revealing flashback montage of the twenty in-your-face clues as to who has been behind the whole scheme since the opening credits of the film rolled by.
Neeson has a solid supporting cast including a charming but batty Julianne Moore, Linus Roache (Law & Order) as the captain, and flight attendants played by Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and an underused Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave). Sure throw in a doctor, an NYPD hothead, and the creepy guy who’s so obviously the terrorist that he couldn’t possibly be the terrorist, but it’s Neeson that firmly anchors the film.
The Irishman and Academy Award Winner has proved to be a reliable action star since his unexpected 2008 hit Taken. Even at 61, he never lacks a forced to be reckoned with presence. His enduring leading man stature and good looks remain his ally in roles like this. Neeson nonetheless plays to his age here, none of the many wrinkles on his face are softened with lights, filters or a lack of close-up shots. But while he does get to show off some impressive hand-to-hand combat, it’s all within the relative claustrophobic confines if a plane. Though on a side note, I’m sure it’s because I don’t air travel in high class enough, but the cabin of the plane here is so tall even all 6’4″ of Neeson has to reach way above himself to access the overhead compartment.
Ultimately, Non-Stop is another winner for Neeson. It’s a tense thrill ride perfect for a check your brain Friday night at the movies. Check your brain not in the sense that it’s a non-sensical actioner, but an escapist high octane popcorn film you just can sit back, enjoy and expect to leave the theater extremely entertained by the time the end credits roll.
Non-Stop opens nationwide on February 28th.
REVIEW RATING: ★★★★★
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong’o, Linus Roache
Screenwriters: John W. Richardson, Chris Roach, Ryan Engle
Studio: Universal Pictures
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 106 minutes
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