Everything about this movie screams typical cheesy thriller. The short, relatively ambiguous title, an intensely squinting man pointing a gun on the poster and of course, Liam. But whilst it's set up is more than predictable, it's plot certainly isn't, in this "whodunnit" popcorn movie that will keep you guessing until the last 20 minutes (pun completely intended).
No stranger to wielding a gun and a badge, Liam Neeson plays Bill Marks, an alcoholic air marshal with his own tragic past, who gets entangled in a messy hijack attempt midway across the Atlantic, when he starts receiving anonymous texts demanding $150 million to be deposited into an account or every 20 minutes, someone on the plane is going to die.
But as the pressure builds and passenger panic sets in, it becomes evident that the hijacker targeted a plane that Marks was working on specifically, and their aim isn't just to gain some serious dough but to set him up in the process. A task that becomes all too easy as Bill's desperation (and pre-flight whiskey) kicks in when time starts running out, and he starts manhandling passengers and waving his gun around.
Time is a key component within this movie, as we are given constant reminders throughout that danger is imminent. "Non-stop" doesn't just necessarily refer to the claustrophobic aeroplane-setting but to the relentless replay of something bad happening every 20 minutes. If you know it's coming, it's more suspenseful, right? And in this instance, that is very much the case. The developing drama really does escalate well and makes you think 'what would I do in that situation?'.
What's different about Non-Stop is it's not a thriller about a near-superhuman hero with combat skills that would rival say, Robocop. Every single character is relatable and that's what makes it interesting to watch, as different characters react in all kinds of ways to the same situation. In the confined constraints of an aeroplane, the film actually becomes somewhat of a dramatic character study, which, if they had delved into other role's backstories a lot more, would have made for a very interesting thriller.
Whilst it's got all the other conventions of a typical action, one thing that Non-Stop has that a lot of actions are missing nowadays, is a GOOD cast. And being an English viewer, I secretly did love the mixture of American/British in this film (even if Lupita Nyong'o did murder the English accent - proof the even an Oscar winner falls into the Cockney trap).
2008's Taken cemented the fact that Neeson was well suited to an action-drama, and what works so well about the slightly older star is that he always a certain gravitas that younger actors just cannot possess. He does the tough guy act so well partly because he does troubled alongside it so well, and everyone knows an anti-hero is much more appealing dimensionally than a fresh-faced, shiny muscled youngster. He's believable and that's what makes it work. Also, 61 year old Neeson, is actually pretty scary. You can't really compare that gruff, Irish drawl to the American squeak that comes out of Taylor Lautner's mouth for example; truthfully, we know who you'd be more afraid of if they were pointing a gun at you.
There is a lot of secondary characters introduced as Bill starts to single out possible suspects behind the texts and killings, which makes for a tense game of Guess Who in which the audience are as none-the-wiser as the movie's unconventional saviour. Considering their one-dimensional roles, the performances are so well done, it is a real shame that their evident skills weren't utilised more.
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), barely has more than an handful of lengthy lines whilst Nyong'o is barely seen at all. Corey Stoll, who Netflix fans will know well from 'House Of Cards', plays his role arguably stands out as one of the best actors in the whole movie as his character teeters between being Marks' friend and aggravator, but again could have been used a lot more.
It's always rather interesting when an actress as acclaimed as Julianne Moore takes on a role like this one. Not that she doesn't do the role justice. Her portrayal of Jen Summers, the seemingly innocent but equally shifty-eyed girl-next-seat is perfectly fitting, but could have quite easily been executed by someone unknown or with lesser acting calibre (and most likely a lesser price too). Perhaps she just fancied shaking up her career and doing something a little less mentally challenging, shall we say?
Okay, so there's a small amount of flaws. I never said it was perfect. It's a little too short, a little too underdeveloped and bordering on cliché, but it's good. It seems like a lot of critics are bashing this movie but it's everything you'd expect from an action thriller, so why all the hating?! Stop being so uppity, don't think too much, just sit back and enjoy a bit of escapist entertainment.
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