by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What do January and February mean for the world of film? First off, you should expect a steady stream of films getting dumped in the least prestigious time of the film year. Second, you should expect to get a brand new and shiny Liam Neeson thriller too. His previous collaborations with director Mark Williams have offered up The Marksman and Honest Thief to audiences. Have they been giants hits commercially and critically? Not quite. But they do offer up some enjoyable thrills, and Neeson doing that thing he does so well.
Does Blacklight offer up some of the same? First, this is quite the convoluted affair. Let’s paint a picture. Travis Block (that would be the name of a Neeson character in an action thriller) is a special operative for the head of the FBI. They have a past that links them (shadowy of course), keeping Block in his employ. But all Block wants to do is be a good grandfather after not being a good father (his daughter is portrayed as a consistently skeptical presence). But Block needs to take in a whistleblower before he can make it to a journalist to spill the goods. What an intriguing mystery, right? Not quite. From the start, this film serves up “mystery” despite the fact that you can see through every character and see their true motivations.
But do the thrills deliver? The thrills are at a minimum, making up a fraction of this almost two-hour film. But Williams does offer up some solid ones despite the lack of volume. You might go in with an expectation for more consistency. This leaves the film dragging quite a bit throughout as it tries to fill out its runtime. There are elements that keep it afloat, but that mostly comes down to Neeson. His charisma is off the charts as he delivers a sharp and intense performance (despite it being so familiar compared to all the similar ones he has delivered through his later career). Not much is asked of Neeson physically (probably for the best), but he does intimidate when he has to, and charms with his adorable granddaughter when they are on screen. One of the most memorable aspects of the film is the score composed by Mark Isham. Each of the intense moments are just that much more intense due to Isham’s work.
When it comes down to it, will this new thriller excite audiences? Blacklight attempts to offer up some political commentary which feels a bit half baked. The thrills are enjoyable enough, but there are not enough of them. The plot is convoluted and some of the subplots are just too underwritten to work. BUT it is a Neeson film. So, it has that going for it. If you love Neeson’s work over the past 15 years, you will have some fun with this latest entry in his filmography. If not… this will not gain any converts.
Grade: C
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