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As 72 years old, Liam Neesoncontinues to be a force in the world of cheap action thrillers. Every so often, he has a bit of a hit, something that breaks free of the generic formula and continues to prove why the septuagenarian continues to be a force.Absolutionis one of those films that turns Neeson’s action proclivities and age into a solid film about looking back on your regrets.
AbsolutionReview
Directed by Hans Petter Moland from a script by Tony Gayton,Absolutionfollows Neeson as a drunk, deadbeat father desperately trying to reconnect with his family, who doesn’t want much of anything to do with him. We punch through sustained moments of reflection with a few bursts of action. It’s a strong balance of somber drama and thrills.
Our protagonist is unnamed, simply taking on the moniker of “Thug.” He’s the same type of former mercenary who quickly delves into a criminal underworld. Thug gets paired with the smart-mouthed, coked-up son of one of the big bosses of the underworld. Along the way, he falls into a sorta romance with a woman named… “Woman.”
There aren’t a lot of names to work off of here, which feels like one of the bigger problems of the film. There just isn’t that much to work with, story-wise. It’s just not too interesting on a narrative level, leaving a lot of the excitement to be carried by the action.
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The romance is the weakest story part of the film. It’s a shame that the pretty good role of Thug is brought down by a sloppy romance that gets into strangely abusive territory. Of course, it allows Thug to grow as a person, but dealing with his family was enough, so why did he have to find a random romance with a woman he doesn’t seem to get along with?
With the recent news thatNeeson might be planning on retiring soon, this film feels particularly poignant. Against his filmography of shoot-em-up thrillers, this is a nice turn against the senseless violence of films like his laterTakenfilms. Neeson brings a beautiful, soulful energy to this (while rocking akillermustache), making the emotional beats feel much stronger overall.
It’s a pleasant surprise that on top of sporting a good story, strong acting, and some exciting kills, this is visually excellent. Philip Øgaard brings a nice, naturalistic look to a film all about looking at the hard truths of violence. It’s colorful and fun to look at, elevating each moment by turning the most mundane of scenes into something eye-catching.
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As the heart of the film, Liam Neeson absolutely kills it. He feels like a composite of characters he’s done in the past, but he feels much more realistic than most of the guys he plays. He’s angry, sad, and forgetful. He gives it all, and it’s clear from the beginning that this is one of his best recent performances. It helps that Neeson is paired alongside a great performance from Yolonda Ross and a few fun supporting roles.
Speaking of the action, Moland’s direction really stands out during the sporadic moments of excitement. It’s a bit of a shame that there isn’t more throughout the film, because it works particularly well and feels somewhat lacking at times since there’s such an expectation for more excitement.
This film succeeds in the moments between the exciting and the dull. Often, the film feels like it’s in a state of limbo as it navigates between Thug’s underworld and the sad overworld that everything else takes place in. It’s certainly a nice and contemplative twist to these types of action/thrillers and operates best when it isn’t trying the same old tired stuff.
Still, though, this can’t ultimately escape its fate. Between the somber storytelling and the mostly exciting action, the film feels just a little too generic for its good. With decent, but too infrequent, action and a great leading performance,Absolutionis certainly a step up from the other stuff that Neeson’s been doing, but that’s not saying all too much when many of his recent films have been bottom-of-the-barrel action.
IsAbsolutionworth watching?
Absolutionis a story about making the best of your terrible past. In many ways, it feels like an essential film to mark the end of Neeson’s career. Going forward, one could hope that he’ll be more selective in what he chooses because this script and direction are a breath of fresh life into a filmography that’s been seeming a little too stale recently.
Absolutionopens in theaters on November 1.
Absolution Review — Liam Neeson’s Latest Action-Thriller Switches it Up
Cole Groth
Film/TV Critic
Articles Published :71
Hi! My name is Cole. I’m a twenty-year-old attending the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. I’ve watched one movie every day since May 2020, with my all-time favorite film being Max Barbakow’s Palm Springs (2020).
