'Non-Stop': A world weary Liam Neeson is the most dangerous Neeson

Liam Neeson in a scene from "Non-Stop." Photo by Myles Aronowitz. © 2014 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

The English language is a funny sort of thing. The meaning of a word or phrase is tied so, so heavily to the context of its use it can have a definition with both a positive and a negative connotation; one of my favorites, “wicked” switches between a compliment and a pejorative, and is sometimes both at the same time.

I employed that brief lesson on semiotics – brought to you by the letter “s” – to provide an explanation for why the word trashy is not an insult, but rather a flattering description of Liam Neeson's new murder vehicle “Non-Stop.” Trashy, in this case, describes a film that gleefully plucks from the dregs of the suspense genre – cheap filmmaking tricks, dull dialogue, Neeson rage – and builds an all together entertaining and nearly satisfying viewing experience. In other words, “Non-Stop” is a pretty good B movie, which is a surprisingly difficult feat to pull.

Then again, not every movie has an actor like Neeson right in the middle of it, and his presence as air marshal Bill Marks adds much vitality and a little validity to the otherwise silly story about murder on a plane. As the title suggests, Neeson and a cadre of passengers are on a non-stop flight to London when he receives an ominous string of texts indicating the person on the other side of the message will kill one person every 20 minutes unless he or she receives $150 million.

The person responsible for the texts means business and is savvy enough to manipulate Neeson at almost every turn, leaving the man with no one to trust aside from plucky passenger and romantic interest Jen Summers (Julianne Moore). But the lack of faith is a two-way street, as the passengers are given good reason to suspect Neeson is hijacking the plane, which forces the weary marshal to find the culprit and clear his own name before the plane lands.

“Non-Stop” is the type of movie befitting of a drinking game, this one devoted to a shot for every ridiculous decision made by Neeson or one of the other characters. Those who partook in such a game would find themselves in the same state of mind as the screenwriters must have been when they concocted this film. Buick-sized plot holes – highlighted by a strange decision by one character that alters the plot tremendously in the last act – abound, and the characters' characterization is dreadfully static and one note.

Not exactly the most flattering of descriptions, but nothing from the last paragraph hinders “Non-Stop's” mostly enjoyable viewing experience. I keep going back to Neeson, because, having skipped over the “Taken” films, I had no idea how much fun it is to watch skulk around with a gun in his hand and a grimace tattooed to his face. He's at just the right age where the weariness of his life has not just caught up with him, but consumed most of his being and left him in a state of existential frustration compounded by undying anger. Still, the Neeson – consider it a label for such characters – maintains an iota of compassion and an understanding that life is, on some level, worth protecting.

Neeson the actor also steps away from camp and plays everything straight like the action-hero version of Leslie Nielsen, and his ability to take the film seriously ensures “Non-Stop's” moments of heavy intensity work. His inability to figure out what's happening around him infects the audience, as does the growing paranoia of the passengers stuck thousands of feet in the air and with nary a clue as to what's happening in the air.

It all makes for some pretty good B-movie material – the kind of film that will catch the eye while flipping through channels late at night. But there are two factors preventing “Non-Stop” from moving beyond that level: a runtime about 20 minutes too long and a dreadful final act that reveals the rather weak-sauce reasons for the mile-high mayhem. The latter is the more egregious issue, as the scene becomes a platform for the filmmakers to proselytize poorly about foreign policy, and the rant just doesn't fit “Non-Stop's” tone.

Those two problems are too difficult to overlook, but they don't prevent the film from achieving at least some level of pleasure. It's certainly not Hitchcock, but “Non-Stop” is delightfully diverting when it keeps its metaphoric foot away from any of its orifices.

Overall rating: Three and a half out of Five Stars

Movie info:

Rating: PG-13

Run time: 106 minutes

Genre: Suspense

Ask Away
Target audience: Liam Neeson fans drawn in by the “Taken” potential and people who want to justify their fear of flying.

Take the whole family?: A heavy PG-13 rating featuring bullets, blood and breaking necks makes it too much for kids younger than 13.

Theater or Netflix?: Even with the favorable review, “Non-Stop” just doesn't justify anything more than a rainy-day matinee theater trip. It would, however, be a ton of fun to watch while cruising Netflix at 12:30 on a Sunday morning.

Should Liam Neeson leave the B movie slums?: I want him to leave on occasion so he can contribute to awesome things  “The Lego Movie” and the “Dark Knight” trilogy, but I have to admit he is really, really good as a man in search of some form of revenge. His combination of height, age, accent, stride, mordancy, growl, grumpiness and fatigue blurs together to create the model modern aging action hero. Who needs Bruce Willis when you can have Liam Neeson?

Watch this as well?: The obvious example is, again, “Taken,” but I'll go with an older Luc Besson film. “The Professional” is a much better film than “Non-Stop” and insanely entertaining – words can't describe the reaction one gets from watching Gary Oldman go crazy listening to Ludwig Van – but both have unwilling heroes who do the right thing almost in spite of themselves.