7/10

Gritty, stylish, and action packed. Liam Neeson is back on a mission to “Run All Night”. Mobster hit man Jimmy Conlon (Neeson) has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie, with his estranged son, Mike (Joel Kinnamon), whose relationship has always been rocky, or his longtime best friend, mob boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris), who wants to pay Jimmy back for the death of his own son. “Run All Night” is a breath of fresh air from the sloppy offering of “Taken 3”, and it restores Neeson to top notch form in the action genre. It was great to see a character Neeson portray supply some personality to understand who this character is when he isn’t kicking butt. Jimmy is kind of a loser, but he has always done everything for his family. His time away has been to make money to pay the bills, and mob work is the only road he knows. The film’s acting presence is in the form of longtime actor, Harris. Ed’s backstory is what makes the movie interesting. He isn’t your typical cartoonish villain known to grace Neeson action films, but instead we understand why Harris has such a vendetta against a man he has stuck up for when everyone else told him to kick him to the curb, and THAT is what makes the presence grab you from the opening minute. It’s two guys who are best friends in the wrong place at the wrong time. In addition to two great lead performances, Common makes a noteworthy appearance as a hit man contracted by Harris to kill Neeson. His work here is nothing short of Terminator-like. From his movements, to his very quiet demeanor when hunting his prey. Common turns in a silent but deadly performance that commands more screen time in every scene he steals. The film’s camera work and cinematography is also very praise worthy. There is a narration of a hockey game being played in the beginning of the film between the New York Rangers, and the New Jersey Devils. We know that subtely the Rangers represent Harris, as he possesses a Rangers jersey hung up on his office wall. That would mean that Neeson represents the Devils, a quite appropriate analogy considering Neeson reflects upon the very demons that cost him the most important relationships in his life. As the game progresses, we find out the score reflects the reactions of each side. For instance, when Neeson kills two dirty police officers hired by Harris, The Devils go up in the game 3-2. It’s subtle storytelling like this that i always dig in a film, and gives something hidden beneath the surface to showcase symbolism in a film that you wouldn’t think it would be present in. New York has always been the best location for Neeson films, and the city portrays it’s own kind of character in this film. Make no mistake about it, Director Jaume Collet (Non Stop) has written a loveletter for The Big Apple. The movie beholds many close to the street insert shots of random everyday occurances in the big city. Whether it’s noise from rush hour traffic, or homeless people tucking in for the night, the film’s biggest voice comes from a city with a troubling backstory similar to the film’s characters. If i had a problem with the film, it comes in two sections. The first, is the cliche foreshadowing that is unfortunately happening a lot more in film these days. The opening scene reveals events that we know will be in the closing minutes of the film, and i hate this because it always serves as a spoiler. We know how much damage our protagonists have taken, as well as how much trouble they are in when everything comes full circle. I wish a film would just show some subtle foreshadowing instead of giving the whole meal away on a silver platter. Perhaps a couple of bullet shells laying on the ground of the final shoot out, or some blood against a tree. Don’t show us the characters or where they end up. My second problem is that the film is a little too long. It’s nothing that does any serious damage to the film, but the movie’s narration does start to drag and feel repetitive towards the beginning of a third act. It’s in those minutes that we already know everything about Neeson’s past, so the big meeting with Harris couldn’t come quick enough. I’m not saying a serious cut needs to be done, but maybe just ten minutes of filler that serves as nothing but a slowdown period between the in your face action fights. I definitely recommend this film to any Neeson fan, as well as someone looking for a solid antagonist turn by Harris. It’s nice to see two characters built equally for once when you know one of them is destined for death. “Run All Night” packs a solid punch to it’s audience thanks to a crime-noir style that never feels limited like Neeson’s earlier 2015 offering.