The Commuter will be sure to take you on a very thrilling and suspenseful ride, delivering some solid entertainment. Fans of these Liam Neeson action films won't be disappointed.
“In this action-packed thriller, Liam Neeson stars as Michael, an insurance salesman whose commute home suddenly takes a dangerous turn. After being confronted by a mysterious stranger (Vera Farmiga), Michael must race against time to uncover the identity of a passenger on his train, as he’s swept into a conspiracy with life-and-death stakes for himself and his fellow passengers.”
Why do we love to see Liam Neeson, a now 65 year old man, get beat up time after time? Neeson himself doesn’t even know, after watching an interview with him promoting this film, but regardless he has box office draw and continues to get roles in which he finds himself in situations like this where he is facing tough physical odds. For me, it’s exactly because of his age, his normal physical stature, and the fact that he can still take down a bunch of trained killers with ease. Largely thanks to his role in Taken, Neeson has created this niche of a normal, aging action star that he can’t escape from, and I for one will keep watching.
Jaume Collet-Serra directs The Commuter, who is no stranger to this genre, and even Neeson himself, directing him in Unknown and Non-Stop. Although these films seem very similar, it seems to be a proven formula that is working, hence the third collaboration between the two. What I enjoyed this go-around is the fact that almost the entire film takes place on the train, giving us a very small, claustrophobic feel as the tension ramps up in the second half of the story. Additionally, there is simply something intriguing about a mystery aboard a train, and although this doesn’t come close to the suspense of Strangers on a Train, there is a Hitchcockian feel to it as Neeson’s character presented with a situation in which all he has to do is point out a person who doesn’t belong on the train and will receive $100,000.00, but based on his background as a cop is very unlikely.
The mystery on the train is indeed intriguing. Michael must use his police background to do all he can to narrow down who it is these people are looking for. The film does suffer a bit from what I call star spoiler, which is when a very well-known actor is seemingly playing a very small role, but because of how big of a name they are you can tell they are involved in some way as an antagonist. Thankfully, there are quite a few bigger names playing smaller roles, so it wasn’t as easy to guess who might be in on it. Whether or not it was the intention of the writer or director, enough suspicion is cast on each of these characters as to not give it away entirely.
Although the setting of a small train works effectively at creating some great tense moments, it also hinders the film at creating a sense of conflict. Instead of a menacing antagonist, we only hear a voice on a phone who claims that Michael’s family will be hurt if he doesn’t do as they ask. Not being able to see any of these threats diminishes the sense of urgency and the stakes of the character. Although it was great seeing Liam Neeson punching his way from train car to train car, I never felt like he had much to lose if this person wasn’t found. Additionally, none of the characters seemed to be that well rounded. We don’t get much information on any of them, especially Michael; just a down on his luck guy who gets laid off and is thrust into a difficult situation.
The Commuter definitely has what fans of Liam Neeson films are looking for. It has some great choreographed fight scenes, action, and mystery. The story falls a bit flat, however, and despite the cool sequences and top notch acting, it felt like something was missing that brought it all together. That being said, the film still provides some excellent entertainment that fans of Neeson and the genre will want to check out.
Video
The Commuter is presented in 2160p Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. The 4k disc delivers a superb picture, with the HDR providing those brilliant brights and deep darks. The film has a very muted, bluish hue to it, with a darker quality when on the train. The bright colors are contrasted beautifully with dimly lit scenes during the commute.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos, providing a great immersive experience. Being an action film, this track is going to fully utilize everything in your home theatre’s arsenal. With great balance between the surrounds and center channel, you’ll never miss a moment of dialogue as Liam Neeson is throwing people through windows, knocking them unconscious, or whatever he decides to pull out in his action repertoire.
Special Features
Not too many extras on this set. What you’re going to see is:
- “End of the Line” Featurette
- “Off the Rails” Featurette
The Commuter, despite its shortcomings, still manages to entertain. Although I don’t think anything could quite measure up to Taken, Neeson proves that he is still able to hold his own as an action star despite his age. Fans of his films will definitely want to check this out, as it does check all the boxes when it comes to a Liam Neeson action film.
