The Commuter Review – Spoiler Free
The Commuter is a film which comes directed by Jaume Collet-Serra who some may know as the director of films such as Non-Stop or Run All Night. The film stars Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks and Sam Neill. Both the director and Liam Neson have worked together in the past on both Non-Stop and Run All Night which were both entertaining action films.
The Commuter is a story about a recently let go insurance salesman and ex-cop, Michael (Liam Neeson), who for his whole life was a responsible worker. This is the guy that followed all the rules in life and did everything right. He’s now aged 60 and is out of a job and is going back home on the train he has routinely caught to the city for who know how many years. A mysterious woman approaches him on the train and offers him money, in exchange for completing a single simple task on his journey home. But should Michael do this task or is there more to the mysterious request?
I for one going into this film was quite excited to see another Liam Neeson action adventure, it had felt like some time since I had watched one and they were ever so common before. I had always enjoyed watching Liam Neeson in these types of roles, so had my expectations set for what it was to be. Knowing that Juame Collet-Serra was directing this, I guess if you’ve seen Non-Stop which was the film where Liam Neeson was stuck on plane, you can expect something a little similar to that, as Liam Neeson is stuck on a train this time.
For what it is, it’s an entertaining action flick. There’s a few fight scenes that go on in the train as well as other things, but there’s also a little bit of interrogating and I guess investigating from the Michael character as he looks into the request of the unknown woman. There is a bit of suspense to what is going on and I like that in an action thriller.
As for the plot, it’s all good I guess for something where you need to confine your character to the train they are on. There was a lot in there to discover and as mentioned there was a little suspense to it all. But I did feel that the only downside to it, was that at times it was a little unrealistic. I know the point was made that Michael had been catching the train for years, but the closeness of the passengers to him and the train staff who all knew him because he was a regular and he knew everyone else too was a little hard to believe at times. But I can overlook that a little.
Overall The Commuter is kind of what you might expect to get from a Liam Neeson action film. You get a bit of suspense and also mystery as some dangerous people approach Michael and put his life in danger on his regular commute home. The action scenes are all decent and enjoyable too. I think this is the perfect film to see if you’re a Liam Neeson action film fan, it’s not one to go to see for the story, but for the fun film experience which only Liam Neeson can provide. I would look forward to see what more collaborations could come about between Juam Collet-Serra and Liam Neeson in the future and would be happy to watch more from these two should they work together again.
