Director Jaume Collet-Serra has been feeding audiences a steady diet of thrill rides for years, and The Commuter marks a reteaming with two of his biggest stars.
Liam Neeson is appearing in his fourth film with the director, having found shared success with Unknown, Non-Stop, and Run All Night. Vera Farmiga, on the other hand, returns almost a decade after starring in Collet-Serra’s horror/thriller Orphan. The pair will face off here, with Farmiga drawing Neeson into a dangerous crime mystery.
The twist is that they’re stuck on a commuter train, and if this is starting to feel like a mash-up of Neeson’s greatest action hits, that’s because it kind of is. None of this is a stretch for anyone, so the film feels like a safe bet if you’re wanting no-nonsense thrills, Farmiga being chilling, and Neeson throwing some punches.
I don’t mean this to sound dismissive; Collet-Serra has made some genuinely enjoyable films, including his last delightful surprise, The Shallows. The shark vs. Blake Lively venture had no business being as entertaining as it was, and that’s a testament to Collet-Serra’s efficient direction. And Steven Seagull. Can’t forget him.
The Commuter will hit theaters in the dreary doldrums of January, and with a little luck, it could replicate The Shallows’ surprising success.
The Commuter is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and stars Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, and Sam Neill. It will be released in the U.S. on January 12th, 2018 and in the U.K. on January 19th, 2018. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think this will be an enjoyable thrill ride? Let us know in the comments.
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