While it may have been under tragic circumstances, since the death of his wife around five years ago, Liam Neeson, in an effort for distraction, has given us some of the most consistently engrossing, exciting and highly entertaining cinema. The man has become almost a genre unto himself who has inadvertently opened himself up to a whole new generation and collection of fans. His latest offering ‘Non-Stop’ re-partners Neeson with his ‘Unknown’ director Jaume Collet-Serra, only this time it’s a lot more than his daughter, wife or even his own life at stake - now he’s got a whole plane full of passengers to protect.
While serving on a long-haul flight from New York to London, U.S. Air Marshal (and stoic drunk) Bill Marks starts to receive text messages from an unknown source threatening to kill the passengers on board unless his ransom is met. Trying to find the culprit without alarming the unsuspecting fliers is difficult enough, but the bodies start piling up and, due to the wonders of social media and network news programs, those on the ground start to believe Bill is the terrorist. With limited resources and only the crew (Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong’o and Jason Butler Harner) and new-found friend Jen (Julianne Moore) to trust, time is running out, and the passengers are becoming more and more restless and suspicious.
SWITCH: 'NON-STOP' TRAILER
When you call a movie ‘Non-Stop’, you’re automatically under a lot of pressure to deliver - and thankfully this one does - from take-off all the way to its twisted ending. I’m pretty sure hating Liam Neeson or any of his films is considered a crime against Ireland, and you’re fully liable for extradition and public stoning, so best to just err on the side of caution and see the film - after all, Liam does have a particular set of skills. Skills he has acquired over a very long career... Enjoy your flight, it’s a damn good one - and for the love of god, buckle your seat-belts.