Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Non-Stop Review - 2½ Stars

Liam Neeson has enjoyed a lot of success playing action characters in “Taken” and “Taken 2”—so he builds on that success in “Non-Stop.”  In this scenario he’s an Air Marshall who boards a trans-Atlantic flight and begins getting texts demanding $150 Million Dollars or someone will die every twenty minutes.    The suspects include Julianne Moore and a cast of sinister looking characters.  It is fun to see both Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary on “Downton Abby) and Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) out of character as by the book airline attendants.   The script sets up a ticking clock right away, and when the bodies start dropping the tension increases.  Oh one more thing—there’s a bomb on board—leading to a thrilling landing sequence that compares to Denzel Washington’s upside down maneuver in “Flight.”  “Non-Stop” basically sets up a who done it mystery on a speeding airplane.  It zips along and has pretty good tension and a nice cast of characters.  However, once you walk out of the theater it starts to hit you.  This story makes no sense.  Does it deliver what it promises?  Thriller on an airplane. Is it entertaining?  Zips along with plenty of tension.  Is it worth the price of admission?  Not a must see.