How did this happen? How did Liam Neeson of Schindler's List and Love Actually fame turn into Liam Neeson, 62 year old action star? It turns out, starting with Taken, that all you need to do is put his family in danger and Neeson goes into full on action mode. Run All Night is no exception, sticking to the generic clichés and firming itself as a watchable action flick for the masses.
Liam Neeson plays Jimmy, an aging hit man racked by guilt from all the people he's murdered. When his son Michael (Joel Kinnaman) accidentally gets involved with Jimmy's boss' son Danny, Jimmy must face off against his longtime friend/mob boss Shawn (Ed Harris) to protect his son from certain death.
Liam Neeson is fantastic, going from slovenly drunk to experienced hit man in a matter of seconds to protect Michael and his family. Outside of his performance, it's your pretty average flick. All the men speak in deep gravely voices as they talk revenge and the body count is impressively high. The actions scenes are watchable but not captivating. At one point, an apartment is lit on fire for the sole purpose of making for a more interesting fight scene. The gag only kind of works as the scene is short and not exactly thrilling. Conveniently, Michael used to fight competitively so he can somewhat defend himself against the myriad mobsters, hit men, and police officers that come after him.
Perhaps the most touching part of the film is the father-son relationship and Jimmy's deep commitment to making sure Michael doesn't end up like him - a killer. As high as the body count is, it's refreshing to see an action star actually deal with the fallout of killing so many, and the consequences it had on those closest to him.
Run All Night isn't particularly impressive or mind blowing but it has enough heart and quick pacing that it's an enjoyable watch for any action film fan. Just keep putting Neeson's family in danger, Hollywood, because it's working out for both of you.
