Summary: An air marshall must spring into action aboard an international flight.

Year: 2014

Australian Cinema Release Date: 27th February, 2014

Australian DVD Release Date: TBA

Country: USA, France

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Screenwriter: John W. Richardson, Christopher Roach, Ryan Engle

Cast: Jon Abrahams (David Norton), Josh Bodenhamer (Giovanni), Nadia Bowers (Mrs. O’Reilly), Alejandro Cardenas (Arturo Lucci), Edoardo Costa (Herve Philbert), Frank Deal (Charles Wheeler), Michelle Dockery (Nancy), O.T. Fagbenle (Jack Rabbitte), Jason Butler Harner (Kyle Rice), Corey Hawkins (Travis Mitchell), Christine Hitt (Camila D’Agostino), Charlotte Kirk (Amy Harris), Perri Lauren (Stella), Quinn McColgan (Becca), Scoot McNairy (Tom Bowen), Omar Metwally (Dr. Fahim Nasir), Julianne Moore (Jen Summers), Anson Mount (Jack Hammond), Liam Neeson (Bill Marks), Lupita Nyong’o (Gwen), Bar Paly (Iris Marianne), Nate Parker (Zack White), Amanda Quaid (Emily Norton), Linus Roache (David McMillan), Corey Stoll (Austin Reilly), Liz Thomas (Madeline), Michael Thomas Walker (Michael Tate), Shea Whigham (Agent Marenick)

Runtime: 106 mins

Classification:M

OUR NON-STOP REVIEWS & RATINGS: 

David Griffiths:

Remember the time when you could sit down and watch a good action thriller and you wouldn’t actually know who the bad guy was until just before the end credits? That certainly hasn’t been the case over the past few years when you’ve sat down to watch a Hollywood thriller but the good news is that director Jaume Collet-Serra manages to recapture the thriller feeling of old once again with Non-Stop.

Liam Neeson again seems to have forgotten that he once said he would never make action films and this time brilliantly plays Bill Marks, a jaded former New York cop who is battling an alcohol problem and depression while working as an air marshall.

The day in question starts off just like any other for Bill, he is not only fighting a killer headache as the morning goes on but also feuding with his ex-wife. Then while boarding the flight he sees that he has his usual bunch of suspects to protect – the rude and obnoxious Travis Mitchell (Corey Hawkins) who seems to think the world revolves around him and the nervous child flyer Becca (Quinn McColgan). At least as he settles into his routine he does notice some friendly faces around including his friend Nancy (Michelle Dockery) and the chatty passenger he is seated next to the mysterious Jen Summers (Julianne Moore).

But then shortly after take-off the flight suddenly becomes anything but ordinary when Bill receives a text message telling them that has twenty minutes to place $150 million in a bank account or people start to die. Quickly Bill tries to work out which passenger could be involved – perhaps it is the Muslim gentleman Dr. Fahim Nasir (Omar Metwally), the jittery Austin Reilly (Corey Stoll) or the flight crew member who was rushed onto the flight at the last moment, Gwen (Lupita Nyong’o). However it is they are good at their job and Bill soon realises this when it seems like they are making him look like the person that is behind the hijacking.

Creating the perfect thriller is also a double edged sword for a director or a screenwriter. The fact that they can call upon the fact that nearly everybody has a small hint of being a nervous flyer can really enhance the film but the fact that an entire movie also has to be kept in such a small space can also prove too much for many filmmakers and their films end up lacking that certain something that holds the audience’s suspense all the way through.

The basic criticism that many will level at Non-Stop is that Neeson is playing the same character he played in Taken, and that is true to a certain extent, but there also seems to be more of a sense of realism around his character here. Yes Bill is substance affected while he is supposed to be looking after a plane full of people, but just like you did with Denzel Washington in Flight you quickly warm to the character, which only raises the suspense even further when those on the ground begin to assume that Bill is in fact the hijacker.

Credit also has to be paid to a great script that pretty much leaves the audience with no idea who the real hijacker is until it is supposed to be revealed… the way it should be with a good thriller. The script is further enhanced by director, Jaume Collet-Serra who feeds the audience false paths all the way along, something that works and just makes the elusive hijacker even harder to pick.

Non-Stop further cements Liam Neeson as one of the best action stars going around at the moment. He mixes dramatic acting and action sequences together with absolute ease and he is well supported by the likes of Julianne Moore and Michelle Dockery who also do credible jobs. Kudos also to Scoot McNairy and Corey Stoll who don’t have to do much but still have a couple of screen stealing moments.

Non-Stop is one of the better thrillers to have surfaced over the past few years and if you are a young filmmaker who wants to learn all the ins and outs of this genre then this is one film you just have to check out.

Average Subculture Rating (out of 5): 

IMDB Rating: 

Other Subculture Media Reviews of ‘Non-Stop′: Nil.

Trailer: