Director: Robert Lorenz
Genre(s): Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Runtime: 108 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
During a visit to the Mexican-American border, rancher Jim (Liam Neeson) takes a boy named Miguel (Jacob Perez) who’s trying to flee the cartel under his wing. This may not be Liam Neeson’s best movie, not by a long shot (is that a pun?), but those who know what to expect will probably find it a satisfying “comfort film.” Sometimes “comfort films” are okay.
The Marksman sort of plays out like a road-trip picture, with Neeson and Jacob Perez’s characters hitting the highway to avoid the Mexican mob. The action is surprisingly sparse here, mostly showing up only when it needs to. The film is largely dedicated to the relationship between Jim and Miguel. Their surrogate father-son bond is at the heart of the movie.
This flick deals with one of the hot-button political issues of its time: that of illegal immigration. Well, sort of. It mostly dances around the matter in a way that won’t be offensive to either end of the political spectrum. The Marksman also contains some minor rhetoric about the American government failing to take care of its citizens. Don’t get too worried, though. This is no political screed, it’s a drama-thriller.
This feature is fairly clichéd and predictable, but not everybody goes to the movies to have their expectations subverted. The Marksman desperately wants to be a crowd-pleaser, and, while it doesn’t soar as high as Taken (2008), it’s a solid popcorn-muncher. Expect some restraint in the action department and some familiar elements. It’s the kind of action-thriller you could take a grandparent to.
My rating is 7 outta 10.
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