Actor Liam Neeson rose to fame with his critically acclaimed performance in Schindler’s List, but has taken a turn in past years with more action-based films.

You’re on the edge of your seat as the hero swoops in and saves the day. The bad guys hardly ever win, but they don’t go down without a fight. Something is on the line: money, love, time, you name it. Our hero doesn’t wear a cape — instead, he sports an Irish accent. His name is Liam Neeson.

It’s safe to say that in the past few years, nearly every Liam Neeson movie in theaters has had a similar premise. Neeson’s characters always lead a normal family life, yet hold an exciting past.

Someone in the family of whichever character Neeson’s playing always finds themselves in danger. This requires his character to use his old skills to diffuse the situation, and in turn save his family.

 

Neeson is a retired CIA agent leading a pretty average life with his wife and daughter in the “Taken” trilogy, the first film of which premiered ten years ago. His daughter is kidnapped and he must use his CIA tools and knowledge to find and rescue her from a world of sex trafficking.

 

He plays a former NYPD cop in his new film “The Commuter,” which was released on Jan. 12.

In “The Commuter,” Neeson lives with his wife and son. He’s caught up in a situation on a train, and he’s told his family’s safety will be compromised if he doesn’t comply.

With Neeson’s recent roles displaying these similarities regarding plots and characters, it draws one question: why?

It’s refreshing to see Neeson’s type of person pursuing these action roles — we’re used to seeing six-pack abs and young actors starring in this genre, to be fair. But it’s disappointing that every Neeson movie hitting the big screen has to be violent, action-packed and include outrageous journeys.

But when are going to see Neeson play more sentimental roles, like his work on the movie “Love Actually”?

“The Commuter” itself is filled with action and mystery. The story keeps the audience guessing with each beat. There are lots of twists and turns, especially toward the end. The mystery aspect is enough to keep you invested in the story.

The film itself starts out slow, until the many fight scenes, guns and altercations in the movie happen. These violent moments are balanced by the psychological aspects. While watching the film, it feels almost as if you’re solving a puzzle.

All in all, if you’re a fan of Liam Neeson, action and psychological thrillers, then go see “The Commuter.” On the other hand, if you’re kind of tired of seeing Mr. Neeson play the same roles, maybe skip this one and watch “Love Actually” on Netflix.