Just a couple of weeks ago, I had high hopes for movies in 2021. But when the year starts off with a film that seems to be better suited for tv as opposed to the theater, I’ll keep holding my breath that something better is on the way.
Watching the trailer for The Marksman, I immediately thought, here we go again. Liam Neeson, in another role where he has special skills that he obtained many years before, saving the day. In this one, his character, Jim Hanson is a former Marine sharpshooter that is tasked with getting a young child to his family in Chicago, after the boy’s mother dies, at the hands of the cartel, while fleeing from Mexico.
What was very disappointing was how slow and predictable this was. As you watch, you know what’s gonna happen when you see it. A credit card being used, circling the name of a city on a map. Even the ever-popular, being pulled over by a cop. The generic script definitely could have used some more creative scenarios.
The only thing I found to be enjoyable, was watching the friendship of Jim and the young boy, Miguel (Jacob Perez), develop along the way. Both characters, kinda goin through the same thing… having lost everything that means something to them and uncertain about what their future holds.
Just like his last film, Honest Thief, Neeson deserves a better film than this. But also, maybe these types of action films shouldn’t be his thing anymore either. Watching an aging action star, move slower and slower isn’t very exciting at all. Unfortunately, neither is The Marksman.