The Commuter

An obvious improvement over Jaume Collet-Serra and Liam Neeson’s previous collaboration, 2015’s disastrous Run All Night, The Commuter follows Neeson’s Michael MacCauley’s recently-sacked insurance salesman as he’s drawn into an elaborate conspiracy on board a train by Vera Farmiga’s mysterious Joanna – with the narrative detailing Michael’s ongoing and increasingly perilous efforts at completing Joanna’s seemingly simple task. The degree to which The Commuter improves as it progresses is ultimately rather shocking, as the movie suffers from a decidedly hit-and-miss first half that doesn’t hold a lot of promise – with the early emphasis on Michael’s train-based investigation certainly perpetuating the less-than-engrossing vibe. (There are, for example, far too many scenes of Michael harrassing various passengers as he attempts to solve the mystery.) It’s clear, though, that the film improves considerably as it progresses into its watchable and sporadically enthralling second half, as certain revelations pave the way for a far more streamlined atmosphere that’s rife with thrilling action sequences – including a solid hand-to-hand fight in the train’s vestibule and an unexpectedly over-the-top yet entertaining derailment interlude. Neeson’s typically solid work as the grizzled central character remains a consistent highlight, to be sure, and the satisfying concluding stretch ensures that the whole thing ends on a palpably positive note – which confirms The Commuter‘s place as a solid thriller that’s ultimately far better than one might’ve anticipated.

*** out of ****