Film Review: The Honest Thief 末路狂盜 (2020) - USA

Film Review: The Honest Thief 末路狂盜  (2020) - USA 

Reviewed by Andrew CHAN (Film Critics Circle of Australia)

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Liam Neeson once said that “Taken 3” would be his last gritty action thriller and as we reach  the end of 2020, Neeson continues to play the same role as the gritty action hero with plenty of unique skill sets in the toolkit. “The Honest Thief” is really more of the same, the workable formula, the chases, the gritty action and the reluctant action hero going against the odds against corrupted law enforcements. There is an audience for this kind of movie, like myself, you need these kind of movies to kind of numb yourself for 90 minutes and embrace the total mindless entertainment presented in front of you. The good news is that, director Mark Williams know the target audience and deliver precisely what they wanted to see and feel. In the process, “The Honest Thief” is forgettable, but also enjoyable during the ride, especially in the state of the chaotic world we live in, a gritty action hero in Neeson may well be what we needed.

Liam Neeson headlines the action thriller with plenty of his usual grit, if not for the character name, one would have through its the same person from “Taken” series. There is a romantic arc and the chemistry is certainly workable with the wonderful Kate Walsh. The supporting cast is ably popped up by some cartoonishly over the top Jai Courtney as the key menacing corrupted FBI agent and the young fellow agent Anthony Ramos who have a switch of heart. Jeffrey Donovan is equally stoic in the conflicted and troubled role as good agent doing what is right.

All in all, “The Honest Thief” manages to entertain from start to finish and will likely satisfy the existing “Taken” series fan base. If anything, this is easily a serviceable affair from the best man for the job, namely Liam Neeson that we have all grown to embrace for gritty action for the past decade or so. At 68 years old, Neeson maintains good form with unbelievable skill sets that only he can pull it off with ease. The story is predictable, but for this kind of genre, action fans can sit back and enjoy the ride as it plays out.

I rated it 6.5/10