​FILMS

run all night

2015 review number 48:

Run All Night: (Drama/Action): 75 out of 100: Liam Neeson must be the king of action stars over the age of 60. Who would have thought that he would take over the action mantle from 80s superstars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone? This movie is more of a slow-burning drama/action/thriller than his "Taken" series.

Neeson stars as Jimmy Conlon who has been the hitman for mob boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) for many years. Jimmy has been lifelong friends with Maguire and the authorities have been powerless to stop them as many of the police officers have been paid by Maguire to turn a blind eye to his crimes. Maguire's attempts to go legit have fallen on deaf ears on his son Danny who wants to prove to his dad that drug dealing is the way to go. One fateful night leads to his son's death where Jimmy has killed Danny as he tries to protect his own son Michael (Joel Kinnaman) from being killed by Danny. Together, Jimmy and Michael evade the police and Shawn who is seeking revenge for the death of his son.

The title pretty much sums up what the movie is all about. It's about the estranged father and son who come together to stay alive during the night. The opening scene of Jimmy being shot takes away some of the impact from the movie as you know what to expect. It's one of those films where the opening scene is actually near the end and the story flashes back to how he ended up being shot.

There are some fantastic shots of New York. The location shooting adds a great deal to the atmosphere and is like another character in the story. Although there are some cliche characters, the professionalism of Neeson and Harris makes this film engrossing to watch. They are both superb in their roles. The audience gains a great sense of their friendship and subsequent rivalry as a result of the changed circumstances.

There are some scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat. Although there aren't as many action scenes like his "Taken" movies, the action sequences are still competently structured. There's a bit of quick editing but this becomes less noticeable as the movie progresses.

"Run All Night" is more engaging than "Taken 3" in that the characters are better drawn out and the story is more interesting. Neeson's reign as the 60+ action king has not come to an end and there's still plenty of life in him yet!

Starring Liam Neeson, Ed Harris and Joel Kinnaman
(114 minutes)
Parental Advice: Coarse language, violence and drug use
Additional scene during or after credits: No
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uDuFh-nC-c (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Friday 3rd April, 2015)

 

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