Robert Lorenz’s The Marksman, which is currently streaming on Hulu, has endured criticism aplenty for its formulaic plot and obvious character arcs, but hidden inside this Clint Eastwood-styled thriller are darker truths about society and our largely ignorant views about the border crisis.
Liam Neeson stars as a rancher on the Arizona border who “becomes the unlikely defender of a young Mexican boy desperately fleeing the cartel assassins who’ve pursued him into the U.S” — at least, that’s the plot per IMDb.
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Really, though, The Marksman serves as a spiritual sequel to Eastwood’s own Gran Torino in its depiction of a crabby old codger who eventually sees through his own ignorance and, in a sense, discovers an entirely different perspective on the world. In this case, Neeson’s blandly (though aptly) named Jim Hanson forms a bond with Miguel (Jacob Perez), the aforementioned Mexican boy seeking refuge in America. And while the film doesn’t necessarily linger on the politics surrounding illegal immigration and the like, the relationship between Jim and Miguel more or less serves as an allegory of America’s antiquated disregard of the harsh realities lingering just outside its walls.
Predictably, Jim, a former U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper and Vietnam War vet who feels slighted by the country he put his life on the line for, sees the error of his ways and eventually shelves his personal problems in order to help Miguel reach the safe havens of Chicago. And yes, the film offers up plenty of mano y mano bare-knuckle brawls, chase scenes, and shootouts right down to a violent, blood-soaked climax. But what really makes The Marksman worth watching are the performances by Liam Neeson and Jacob Perez. The duo exhibit a wonderful, even natural chemistry. You believe in their budding friendship and fully buy into Jim’s sudden transformation from disgruntled soldier to earnest savior.
All of this is packaged in a meager $23 million production; the minuscule budget definitely rears its ugly head, notably during the numerous action scenes which lack visual flair.
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Surely, an actor of Neeson’s caliber deserves so much more in the twilight of his career. Looking back, 2008’s Taken marked a stunning turning point for the Academy Award-nominee, pushing him into the action-hero territory he had previously dabbled in — on projects such as Darkman, Star Wars and Batman Begins — but had never fully embraced. And while Neeson certainly enjoyed his fair share of hits since until demonstrating his “very particular set of skills,” personally I find his recent body of work — namely, Honest Thief, The Ice Road, and, yes, even The Marksman — a colossal waste of his talents. Obviously, there’s a sort of one-for-the-money approach here, but as he proves with The Marksman, Neeson is capable of elevating even the most vanilla material into something that (at the very least) makes for passable entertainment.
I digress.
The Marksman works as a Saturday night feature; or the type of film you watch to pass the time during a long flight. There’s enough here to give the viewer something to chew on, even if the pic mostly buries important talking points in favor of routine action and predictable drama.
As such, one could say The Marksman aims high but only occasionally hits its target.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
