An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.
In-flight entertainment comparable to watching the back of the headrest. Just stop.
Verdict: Mile-high thriller.
A nifty lift-off and a tense first hour lead us, disappointingly, to a very bumpy landing. While Neeson and co. do their best, the script just doesn’t deliver where it really matters.
Neeson isn’t going to win an Oscar for this but he’s re-affirmed his position as Hollywood’s favourite and least likely action star.
Having proven his mettle right out of the gate with Taken, he’s surely due an upgrade. Non-Stop isn’t it.
Stop. Eject.
Neeson's emergence so late in his career as one of contemporary cinema's most bankable tough guys may be surprising but he certainly can't be accused of skimping his action-man duties here.
It's the sort of film in which Neeson's air marshall does what he needs to do with a steely resolve. And so efficiently that he is still able to make time before the bomb explodes to tell a comforting story to the frightened little girl in seat 1B.
Predictably, though, Non-Stop is unable to deliver a satisfactory touchdown, with the explanation for Marks’ persecution as lame as the sentimental outcome.
It's risible nonsense, blessed with plot holes that make the fractures in the fuselage seem insignificant.
For the first two acts Neeson, with his melancholy gravitas and believable punching skills, seems almost capable of landing this overloaded craft, and if you return your tray table to the upright position and relax, you may even enjoy this flight as a very guilty pleasure.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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