Non-Stop: Five Things We Learned…

Non-Stop, the new action thriller starring Liam Neeson, now reinvented by Taken as an action star, tumbles into cinemas on Friday (February 28). We caught a preview screening and here are five things we learned…

Liam Neeson… remains a total badass

A few years ago it looked like Liam Neeson was drifting into a sea of roles where he'd play kindly fathers and animated lions, but not anymore. After Taken, he's completely reinvented himself and you totally buy him as Bill Marks, a no-nonsense, trigger happy air marshal who plays fast and loose with the rules. He's easily the best thing about the film.

The action is… surprisingly high octane

Given Non-Stop is set onboard a transatlantic flight, people can't be leaping off cliffs or shooting up entire cabins, so the amount of action set pieces and bursts of violence are quite impressively done. This definitely feels like an action thriller, in spite of its cramped surroundings.

The dialogue is… a bit ropey

To keep the air of mystery going, director Jaume Collet-Serra has clearly decided that every passenger has to be a suspect, which is all well and good, it does mean though that every time a question is answered, it's done so in a manner that should be accompanied by a wink and a twirl of an imaginary moustache. In short, it's a bit hammy…

Michelle Dockery's part… is a bit of a non-event

Best know for playing Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey, this is billed as her big arrival in Hollywood, sadly though, her character spends a lot of time nodding and serving drinks rather than doing anything meaningful. In this film, the only real part belongs to Liam Neeson…

Non-Stop…does the job, just…

As a throwaway action thriller, Non-Stop is just fine, it does nothing new, you don't feel particularly warm towards any of the characters and the ending is a bit bonkers, but, for a Friday night flick that exists purely for entertainment, it's perfectly alright.

Non-Stop is released into cinemas tomorrow (February 28)..