Before Keanu Reeves took over as everyone’s favorite action hero thanks to the John Wick franchise, Liam Neeson dominated the scene following his performance in Taken as an ex-CIA officer-turned-father who uses his special set of skills to track down his kidnapped daughter. Released in 2008, the film was a massive hit, and Neeson was in high demand afterward. As such, he starred in a plethora of action movies heading into the 2010s, including one 2018 gem that’s just landed a new streaming home.
Liam Neeson Uncovers the Truth in ‘Carry-On’ Director’s Tense Action Thriller
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (who would later helm the Netflix smash Carry-On), The Commuter stars Neeson as Michael MacCauley, a former police officer who now works as an insurance salesman. After unexpectedly losing his job just a few years before retirement, he boards his usual evening commuter train home, worried about how he’s going to provide for his family.
Meeting a mysterious woman named Joanna (Vera Farmiga), she offers him an unusual proposition: identify the passenger on the train who doesn’t belong, and he’ll receive $100,000. Seeing as how he’s just lost his job, it’s an offer Michael can’t refuse, but before long, he finds himself being manipulated by a powerful organization that has complete surveillance over the train. Failure to comply will not only cost him his family, but it could also cost innocent passengers their lives.
Using his investigative skills, Michael works to uncover the truth about what’s going on in the tense action thriller. Full of hand-to-hand combat, explosive chases, and a knock-out finale, The Commuter might not be Neeson’s best work, but it’s definitely a non-stop thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat thanks to its Hitchcock-style mystery that keeps you engaged the whole way through.
While it is available to stream on Paramount+, The Commuter has also made its way onto free streaming this month, so you won’t have to pay anything but a few ad breaks to watch it. The high-octane action thriller was added to Pluto TV on July 1 as part of their new crop of monthly movies, which also includes other great action outings such as Top Gun, Walking Tall, and the entire Expendables franchise.
‘The Commuter’ Was a Box Office Smash Despite Poor Reviews
Released on Jan. 12, 2018 in the United States, The Commuter also stars Farmiga’s partner in demon hunting from The Conjuring Universe, Patrick Wilson, as well as Florence Pugh in one of her early roles, and the incomparable Sam Neill. Made for $30 million, the action thriller grossed $119 million at the worldwide box office, making it a financial success despite all its poor reviews.
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Commuter holds just a 55% rating from critics, with many calling it “disposable,” “cliché,” and “another generic action picture.” That might be the case, but even still, it provides 105 minutes of pure escapism, which is what many are looking for from a movie of its ilk. It might not be an Oscar winner, but it’s a fun action thriller nonetheless that delivers on what it promises.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
