The Commuter Movie Review

The Commuter (2018)

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Written by: Byron Willinger & Philip de Blasi (story by), Byron Willinger & Philip de Blasi and Ryan Engle (screenplay by)
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Sam Neill
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Insurance salesman Michael MacCauley's quiet train ride home turns into a terrifying situation when a mysterious woman forces him to find a specific passenger before the last stop, entangling him in a deadly conspiracy.

Verdict
It's not a great movie, but it is entertaining. This is the type of movie you watch to kill some time or just don't want to think. The plot is lacking, but Neeson does a good job in what boils down to budget Taken on a train. It's nowhere near as good, but it serves a purpose as a mostly enjoyable diversion.
It depends.

Review
This packs a lot into the opening scene, montaging years of mornings as we see Neeson's character Michael get ready for work, always taking the train. It's a cool scene that launches into making Michael perfect for the plot.

On his way home after getting fired, after we learn he can barely afford college tuition for his kid, he's approached by a woman that offers him a large sum of cash. He's perfect for the task of finding a target on the train because he used to be a cop. Now he's an insurance agent. I thought he was lying to the couple about being over extended, but apparently Liam Neeson can't lie.

The movie sets him up a little too perfectly to take this deal and then rushes through the psychology to get the plot moving. It's too easy, a weak effort by almost forcing him to take the money. Michael goes from dubious to sure why not in an instant. A little bit of friction would have helped.
I like this setup, approached on a train and asked what at first seems like a hypothetical question. Maybe Michael is the perfect mark, but the woman doesn't have work hard to trick him into it. Really delving into how you coerce people and manipulate them socially would have been a lot of fun.

Liam Neeson plays Michael MacCauley.

This does have a nice amount of tension. We always know a little bit more than him as we can see who's eyeing him on the train. We stay a few steps ahead of him until this gets wild towards the end. Michael cheats death a few times as this becomes more action than thriller. I wish it had been more of a psychological thriller. Michael must face the question of whether he will in essence kill for money, but the movie glances over that. He never tries to justify his actions. Did he really think a stranger on a train would give him one hundred grand and he wouldn't have to get a little dirty? We do  get an answers as to why he was approached, but I that only robbed the movie of intrigue. Why go through such an elaborate setup if you already have your guy?

This isn't a great movie, but it's not bad either. It's certainly entertaining while being a budget thriller, creatively speaking. The end is a nod to (or rip of) Spartacus (1960) (read my review). Throughout the movie, it never tries too hard.