#15 RUN ALL NIGHT

#15 RUN ALL NIGHT (15/03/15)

Starring Liam Nesson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, Boyd Holbrook, Genesis Rodriguez and Vincent D'Onofrio. Written by Brad Ingelsby and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. 115 minutes long.

Since 2008 Liam Nesson has acted in 18 movies, nine of which have been action films and it's safe to say that he completely re-invented himself since he first played Bryan Miles and it's easy to see why. He has a huge, hulking presence that lends itself perfectly to a certain type of action films that in the past would have been played to perfection by Charles Bronson. Liam tries to mix up each of his action roles so they can be differentiated from each other and this time round, he's Jimmy Conlon - a washed up, alcoholic, failed father and mob assassin/enforcer  working for his childhood best friend and mob boss, Shawn Maguire - Ed Harris.

Sadly Jimmy's grown up adult son, Mike wants nothing to do with his father as he struggles to make ends meet by driving a limo to support his young family. One night their world's collide when Mike is an eye witness to mob hit by Ed's son, Boyd Holbrook – a wrong un to be sure – and gets arrested by corrupt police man who then try to kill him. Luckily Liam's on hand to rescue him and before Jimmy can come to terms with the situation, he's a wanted man on the run for his very life and the only person who can save him is his estranged father.

Then, to make matters even worse, Shawn Maguire son is killed by Liam when Shawn tries to kill his son and now the pair of them have to run all night from an city of killers.

This was a surprisingly satisfying movie, Liam's post Taken films have been a mixed bag with sadly more misses than hits so it's a relief to report that this one is a true hit, thanks in no small part to the acting chops of Ed Harris and Vincent D'Onofrio who both manage to elevate this entertaining and enjoyable film that harkens back to the crime films of the 1970s. Sadly a suprise cameo in the third act robs the film of its momentum and the subsequent introduction of an unstoppable hitman, in a trenchcoat with a truly ridiculous kill score in the third act turns the film into a sub terminator movie. Luckily the showdown between Liam and Ed Harris is enough to just about drag the film back to its feet.

Satisfying and enjoyable. A solid and gripping crime film well deserving of an 7/10.