The Marksman is the sophomore feature from director Robert Lorenz, but don’t let that fool you because the regular Clint Eastwood collaborator already has three Oscar nods to his name as an assistant director on films like American Sniper, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Mystic River. He also rounds out the trio of first time writers which includes Chris Charles and Danny Kravitz.
It’s an action thriller starring Liam Neeson as an ex-Marine sniper turned Arizona rancher, struggling to make ends meet and living in isolation along the US-Mexican border. But his quiet existence is upended when he encounters a young Mexican boy and his mother trying to cross the border while being pursued by deadly cartel hitmen.
The official plot synopsis is as follows:
Hardened Arizona rancher Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson) simply wants to be left alone as he fends off eviction notices and tries to make a living on an isolated stretch of borderland. But everything changes when Hanson, an ex-Marine sharpshooter, witnesses 11-year-old migrant Miguel (Jacob Perez) fleeing with his mother Rosa (Teresa Ruiz) from drug cartel assassins led by the ruthless Mauricio (Juan Pablo Raba).
After being caught in a shoot-out, a dying Rosa begs Jim to take her son to safety to her family in Chicago. Defying his cop daughter Sarah (Katheryn Winnick), Jim sneaks Miguel out of the local U.S. Customs and Border Patrol station and together, they hit the road with the group of killers in pursuit. Jim and Miguel slowly begin to overcome their differences and begin to forge an unlikely friendship, while Mauricio and his fellow assassins blaze a cold-blooded trail, hot on their heels. When they finally meet on a Midwestern farm, a fight to the death ensues as Jim uses his military skills and code of honor to defend the boy he’s come to love.
Let’s take a look:
I mean there’s not much to say, is there? Neeson’s been starring in these sorts of action features on a regular basis ever since Taken was released just over a decade ago – he always delivers a good performance, the action is decent, and the plot is on the cheesy side. The Marksman looks no different. It’ll be a fun diversion if you enjoy these sorts of movies, but you won’t remember it once it’s over.
What do you think?
The Marksman is due for release in the US on 22 January 2021. It also stars Jacob Perez, Teresa Ruiz, Juan Pablo Raba, and Katheryn Winnick.
Last Updated: December 7, 2020
