Run All Night (Rated C)
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, Common
Genre: Action Thriller
Dwight's Rating: 3 stars
The all-in-one printer: these magical space-and money-saving devices, especially the small portable 3-in-1s -- usually with the printer, scanner and (yes, people still use them) fax all-in-one -- have revolutionized many a small business and home office, putting all those often bulky devices in one convenient place. And while this probably isn't the first example like this, we now have a cinematic equivalent to the 3-in-1; the new film, "Run All Night", feels an awful lot like three mostly well-received releases (all from 2014, by the way) rolled into one movie.
It feels remarkably similar in subject, tone and/or feel to the very dark and graphic "The Equalizer" starring Denzel Washington, the much more humorous but almost as dark and graphic "John Wick" with Keanu Reeves, and especially the crime drama, "A Walk Among the Tombstones".
The similarities with the latter are made even more apparent because both films are headlined by actor Liam Neeson. In the surprisingly but immensely enjoyable "Tombstones", Neeson plays an aged former NYPD cop, now working as a private detective, hired by a drug trafficker to help find and get revenge on his wife's kidnappers/murderers.
In "Run All Night", Neeson is an aging hit man, whose estranged son (Joel Kinnaman) becomes the target of his former mobster boss (Ed Harris). Neeson's character Jimmy Conlon must figure out where his loyalties lie -- with his son, Mike, or with his boss (and long-time friend), who blames Mike for his wayward son's death. Jimmy must figure out how to save Mike from a similar deadly fate.
And like Robert McCall in "The Equalizer" and the title character in "John Wick", all these men are trying to put their violent pasts behind them. But a significant trigger -- bad guys in the mob (Russians in both "Equalizer" and "John Wick", and a couple of Russians in "Tombstones" too) -- sends these volatile men over the edge and into deadly rampages. (There are no Russians in "Run All Night", but there are some Albanians!)
Despite all the similarities and the sense of deja vu, "Run All Night" is, nonetheless, an exciting thriller from beginning to end. It is a whole lot smarter than the caveman-versus-caveman impression given off in the previews, touching on all the right the hot-button issues that make for compelling action drama: innocent man and his innocent wife and children in grave danger; father versus son conflicts; best friends now on opposing sides; corrupt police forces.
There are interesting directorial choices. Again, we get a little bit of everything. At one moment, it feels like a Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood action flick from the 1970s. The very next, it's ultra-modern, with fast cuts and interesting and unusual camera angles. And at some points, there are stylized visual effects. While it sounds like the various styles would conflict, they work together reasonably well, and may go unnoticed by most viewers.
There are car chases in the heart of New York City. And as is typical of these sorts of scenes today, there's lots of fancy editing, and probably quite a bit of green-screen, and especially an overabundance of close-ups. And while not as compelling as these scenes would have been in the good old days of wide shots, they are among some of the most realistic-looking and exciting of recent times. There are also some decent performances from the nearly entirely all male cast (there's only one adult female with [barely] a speaking role!)
Neeson is playing almost the same character here that he did in "Tombstones", once again reminding us why he had been held in high esteem as a great actor, before he became America's number one ancient action star (he'll be 63 in a few months). Neeson's Jimmy is a deeply flawed individual, battling the demons from his past. He humanizes Jimmy, imbuing him with a dark sense of humor. It's certainly not like the one-dimensional robotic killing machine he plays in the "Taken" franchise. Between all the fighting and shooting and running and killing, there is actual warmth here. Yes, Jimmy is aged and frail in some ways, but he's still tough as nails, yet still in touch with his feelings. Kinnaman also shows great potential as Jimmy's son Mike.
The usually excellent Ed Harris is not bad as Neeson's best friend turned foe. But I had major philosophical issues with his character Shawn Maguire. I question whether Shawn, who seemed like the most rational and sensible person at the start of the movie, would risk so much and become so hell-bent on revenge, even after admitting that his son was a reckless lost cause. But Shawn is governed by the rules of the streets, which have their own set of laws.
That issue may actually determine whether you regard the plot of "Run All Night" as completely plausible. Some may be quick to dismiss it as excessive and improbable. But in a nation where revenge killings have apparently become the order of the day, sadly more than a few may be able to understand and relate to Shawn's pain. Let's just liken that part of the storyline to the increasingly irrelevant and unnecessary fax machine part of our 3-in-1.
o Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of " Morning Blend" on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
