You can have your Stallones. Keep your Van Damme. Segal? Pfft, move over Steven; there is a new action hero in town. Liam Neeson has come kicking and punching his way into everyone's heart. Once appearing in dramas and more, Neeson has now become regular feature of action movies. What with Taken, Taken 2, we swear this isn't Taken, Unknown, and now this Non-Stop. Or as we have affectionally called it Taken on a Plane; Neeson has pushed everything aside, yelled 'fuck it' and come in guns blazing. And boy, are we thankful for it because Neeson is pretty much the only thing that saves this air disaster movie.
What should be a high flying thrill ride takes very long to take off. It beings rather slowly and doesn't make the air miles needed to truly carry it off. Not to mention what should be, technically, a first half full of tension and psychological warfare with surprising moments that make you grip the edge of the seat becomes this rather bland and boring beginning that makes you wish more explosions would happen sooner. And the whole political twisting narrative had a shaky landing that almost takes a nose dive several times towards the end because of the sheer underdeveloped ridiculousness of it.
Despite the extravagant plot that can't navigate through the fog, Non-Stop has moments that make it good for a few hours away from the humdrum. But without the crazy "who gives a a shit," over the top bite of Snakes on a Plane or the edgy drama of Flight, Non Stop stays grounded or barely scuffing the runway. If you are jetting off to see this; just don't over think it. Sit back, relax and let Neeson's heroic tones soothe you into this sometimes bumpy, but fairly uneventful flight.
Coming to Terminals this Friday