Run All Night – Film Review
‘Run All Night’ reunites Liam Neeson with his ‘Unknown’ and ‘Non- Stop’ director Jaume Collet-Serra in an action packed thriller set in the streets of New York.
Neeson plays ex-hitman Jimmy Conlon who is a supposedly dead beat father haunted by the sins of his past. His almost non-existent relationship with his estranged son leads him to find solace at the bottom of a whiskey bottle. But things between father and son take a turn for the better when his son Mike ( Joel Kinnaman) witnesses a double murder committed by the son of Jimmy’s former mobster boss, Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris). Maguire’s son is out for blood and wants to leave no witnesses, which later leads to his death at the hands of Conlon. What follows are an all night speed chase and a game of survival of the fittest with Maguire red with fury and thirsty for Conlon’s blood and while the latter is trying to make a difference in his son’s life by protecting him from Maguire and his gang. The plot of the film is not really that exciting, it literally embodies the film’s title leaving very little to the imagination. However, this thin plot is thickened by its airtight script and great acting from all the actors. Kudos to rapper turned actor Common who plays a ruthless contract killer who will stop at nothing to get the job done. Not even fire can stop the gun-crazy hit man.
Those that have watched Common act will see a very different side to him in his role here. He is like a fierce panther, elusive and powerful. Fortunately for the ladies Common does not lose his sex appeal, even with a disfigured face its hard to keep your eyes off him and even harder to stop yourself from having thoughts of ripping off his jacket and getting a feel of his biceps and six pack.
Even though I felt a little disappointed knowing that the characters basically run all night, the sharp twists and turns made it all worth the watch. It’s hard to stay focused on the film in the beginning because from the word go you feel you have watched it before. You see Neeson playing the role of the father and immediately you think, oh my God, not another ‘Taken’ movie or I know what will happen next but the surprising twists will leave you biting your nails in anticipation of what will happen next.
The several action scenes make ‘Run All Night’ one of the best recent action films. It is that regret, and the need for vengeance and for redemption which make it an excellent film giving Collet-Serra an upper hand over other directors. When I saw the trailer I was sold. I said to myself, “Amerie you have got to watch this because no one makes action films like this anymore”.
Nowadays action films all seem to fall into the premise of being riddled with loud music, tattoos, guns, sex and drugs.
Betrayal is someone stealing someone’s drug money or weapons and not something as spiteful as killing someone’s only child. ‘Run All Night’ tests a son’s love for his father despite him choosing to live a reckless life and the friendship between two best friends.
Watch it if you enjoy a good action movie, one that follows the perfect recipe for a an edgy action film, which is regret, vengeance and the thirst for redemption which is what this film is all about.
