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Young, handsome new action stars seem to show up in theaters every weekend. A few may stand out from the crowd of generic heroes, while others turn out to be completely forgettable. But few are as reliably entertaining as nearly 70-year-old Liam Neeson, who returns in Blacklight.
Blacklight stars Neeson as Travis Block, who works off the books for FBI Director Gabe Robinson (Aidan Quinn) as a fixer, tasked with keeping undercover agents in line. Travis is ready to retire—to spend more time with his daughter and granddaughter. But then one of his agents goes unhinged, racing off to talk to the press about the things he’s seen and the orders he’s taken. And as the bodies start piling up, Travis begins to wonder if he’s been blind to the crimes that have been taking place all around him.
Travis has always been a rule follower; he does his job without questioning the motives behind it. And, at first, that may come as a surprise for viewers—because Liam Neeson doesn’t play characters who don’t really care about right and wrong. But when Travis connects with a young reporter and starts to discover clues about what’s really happening, he goes after the truth with everything in him.
There’s just something about Neeson that makes him a lovable action star. Audiences don’t even have to spend time with his characters to know them—because they’re pretty much the same guy. Sure, Neeson may not be a muscle-bound 20-something with a flashy smile and perfect hair. He may not be able to outrun some of the younger guys—though, admittedly, he’s pretty speedy for an old guy. And he can definitely hold his own when it comes to high-speed car chases and hand-to-hand combat. His characters tend to be perfectly imperfect—and the fact that their love for their family almost always plays a part in his films makes him (and his characters) all the more appealing.
That’s definitely the case here. Travis has made some mistakes in his past—mistakes that still haunt him—and he worries that he might not be the good guy that he always thought he was. Somehow, the character’s age and general world-weariness make that all come off as sincere instead of cheesy or melodramatic. And it even mixes just the slightest amount of depth into the action.
Of course, Blacklight doesn’t really offer anything new or unexpected: government conspiracies, intrepid young reporters, tough guys who fight for truth and justice. It’s not hard to figure out what will happen. But it’s loaded with chases and shoot-outs—which, together with its dependable star, make it a brainlessly entertaining action movie.
See Blacklight in theaters starting on February 11, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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