Review: Liam Neeson’s ‘Run All Night’ doesn’t gives us anything new

Posted on March 20, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

“At least it’s not ‘Taken 4.’” That was my answer to someone who asked me my thoughts on “Run All Night,” the latest action film to star Liam Neeson, moments after leaving the theater.

Ever since 2008’s “Taken,” Neeson has reinvented himself in one action role after another playing a man who possesses the necessary skills to mow through a seemingly endless supply of bad guys while either trying to protect someone he loves or avenge them.

Hopefully Neeson and producer Luc Besson have finally decided they’ve milked the “Taken” franchise as much as they can already.

So for “Run All Night,” Neeson turned to another frequent collaborator, director Jaume Collet-Serra, who gave us “Unknown” and “Non-Stop.” Full disclosure: I didn’t see either of those movies, but heard enough negative reactions to the latter than I entered this one with reservations.

First things first, “Run All Night” is not “Taken 4.” But it’s not original either, with almost every aspect of the story reminding me of other movies. Still, as long as you go in knowing you will not see anything new, the film provides the kind of action we’ve come to expect from these one-man rampage films. In other words, if you’re looking for two hours of gunfights car chases–well, one car chase–this movie provides exactly that. But it doesn’t do anything more than it has to in order to deliver that action.

The movie is rated R for strong violence, language including sexual references and some drug use.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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