liam neeson's agent: i have a movie for you
liam neeson:
liam neeson's agent: your family's life is on the line
liam neeson: i'll do it

"if you wanna know what god thinks about money... look at the people he gives it to."

collet-serra brings his usual layered compositions + tight, rhythmic cutting to another exciting pulp thriller (dude gets his shit kicked in with a lefty guitar!!!), but his formal attempts to depict the communal language of the working class..? chef's kiss. best title sequence this side of fincher's Dragon Tattoo. fuck you goldman sachs.

the opening sequence (one of the best in years) starts the film out as this optimistic of synecdoche new york, and then quickly becomes a wild conspiracy thriller, all while maintaining its fun and b-movie trashiness.

a total surprise.

If you’re in the mood for silly.

Watched on the plane.

Sturdy but unsurprising. If you're looking for an impeccable formal exercise featuring a train as an analog for runaway capitalism do yourself a favor and re-watch UNSTOPPABLE.

Economic anxiety and our mechanized life. The Hollywood and late capitalist machinery at work, one and the same, with police state conspiracy as mediator. The American working class might not go to heaven, but has a meeting with a derailed train. Jaume Collet-Serra, Hollywood de facto #1 working man, is no Tony Scott, he will punch the clocks and keep the engines running (give or take the occasional dodgy CG and plot mechanics),  but he will also see everything.

Liam Neeson Gets Blackmailed On Public Transport: Part 2

Can't wait for part 3.

I'd suggest a tram.

choo choo

Jaume Collet-Serra’s STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, flipping the bird to Trump’s economy and then proceeding to engage in ostentatious one take fight scenes, and total chaos during the final reel. No one’s making mid-level action movies like he is right now; as he’s Tony Scott and Renny Harlin, wearing this rather gaudy DTV Brian De Palma dress. A total fucking blast.

I love just about all the main people in it: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, and heck, even Sam Neill makes an appearance (nice beard!). It's an okay story with some cool action scenes. I heard some complaints about it not being believable. Well, it's a movie. Nothing genius here, but it's not bad.

collet-serra's back baby and he's here to hate corporations and show liam neeson smashing people with a guitar

An action film elevated by the performance of Liam Neeson. Florent Pugh didn’t have a lot to do but she will triumph with better roles

Stupid but enjoyable

I hate that I enjoyed this

literally one hell of a train

6.5/10

Yeah so it's not ground-breaking, we've probably seen it all before, and it's not immediately re-watchable in my view, but I can't deny this wasn't entertaining.

Neeson is full on Taken-esque/give my family back/action-Neeson mode here and basically decides to spice his normal commute up with some interesting vibes. It's thrilling no doubt, Neeson and Collet-Serra continue their collaborations with a film that certainly kept my interest, can't really say I was bored, even if the plot wasn't amazingly good.

If you enjoy full throttle Neeson then go!, of course some won't like it, but how can't you love Liam Neeson running after a train...

This is almost exactly Non Stop, just with a different setting. Knowing the same director of that movie took the role of directing this, just makes 0 scence. It is cheesy fun despite it at times takes itself too seriously. It isn't bad per se, although with more originality it could have been quite great.

Pretty fun to try and guess who Liam Neeson is looking for. Plus bonus Andy Nyman!

Non-Stop (2014) on a train, but better. Didn't know Florence Pugh was in this.

Got high for the first time in years and somehow ended up watching this, it was not a good experience.

Suspenseful and very fair about giving solid but not obvious clues to solve the mystery.