Liam Neeson’s career took a turn when he starred in the 2008 action film Taken. The film redefined his career and made him an action star. He has starred in many successful action films like Unknown (2011), Non-Stop (2014), A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014), and Cold Pursuit (2019) to name a few. He has a new release, which is also an action thriller called Retribution (2023). The director of the film recently talked about Nesson as an actor and the concept behind the film.
Director Nimród Antal Defends Remaking a Spanish Film for Liam Neeson
In an interview with Movieweb, the director of Retribution, Nimród Antal talked about the filming process, the concept behind the film, and the talented actors that elevated the script. When asked about remaking a Spanish film for the Liam Neeson starrer, he said,
I think that the concept is something that has inspired a few different countries to remake. We weren’t the only ones. I think the base concept was just so much fun. I liked the challenge of trying to make something suspenseful within these confined spaces. I always think that’s a challenge worth accepting.
Talking about collaborating with Neeson he said,
The opportunity to work with Liam Neeson was hyper appealing to me. He is a king of his craft. I just thought it would be a really cool experience. I was lucky enough to have that confirmed.
Neeson is known as a committed and professional actor. Hence the comments made by the director are no surprise. Regarding the film being a remake, as long as one keeps the soul and identity of the source material intact, there is nothing wrong with remaking something good.
Is Liam Neeson’s Action Star Status Dwindling?
Although he was initially praised for transforming into a believable and convincing action-hero, Liam Neeson’s action-hero tag seems to be deteriorating in quality due to a lack of originality. His recent action films The Marksman (2021), Blacklight (2022), and Memory (2022) have all failed at the box office. The derivative run-of-the-mill concept of a brooding aged individual who has to fight his way when thrown into a world of conspiracies has become monotonous and lazy. His recent films have all stuck to that generic formula and thus have not struck a chord with the audience who are tired of seeing him in the same role in every film.
Retribution Continues Liam Neeson’s Losing Streak
Liam Neeson’s career continues its downfall as his latest release Retribution is not doing well at the box office. It was not received well by the critics as well who criticized the generic nature of the film and Neeson’s repetitiveness. It looks like it is high time for Neeson to switch his approach in his acting career and commit to projects that are original and thought-provoking rather than derivative ones.
Source: Movieweb
