DVD review: The Commuter
While not an original plot, The Commuter is a decent afternoon’s entertainment for fans of either Neeson or the Taken franchise.
Reviewed by: Samantha Keogh
Review made possible by: Empire Entertainment
The Commuter follows one harrowing train ride in the life of Michael MacCauley, a former police officer turned life insurance salesman.
Having just been fired from his job after 10 years’ service, Michael is taking his usual train home from work when he is approached by a stranger who says her name is Joanna and asks Michael if he would, hypothetically, answer one question.
The reward for doing so is a possible $100 000 but to earn the money he has to find a bag (which Joanna cannot describe to him) and kill a fellow commuter.
Somewhere on the train is a person known only as Prynne carrying a bag containing a stolen object.
Joanna cannot give any details of who Prynne is, whether it is a man or woman or what the person looks like.
Playing along, Michael goes to the toilet cubicle and locates the first $25 000 instalment of the money.
Finding the money means that the question is no longer hypothetical and that Michael has accepted the assignment.
Before the train reaches Cold Springs, where his mark will disembark, he must find this unidentified person and their bag and stop them from implicating his new “employer” in a murder.
If he cannot carry out the task his family will die.
Resurrecting a role reminiscent of his character in Taken, Liam Neeson fits right into the role of crime-fighter and hero.
As the train hurtles to Cold Springs, Michael must figure out not only who Prynne is but why Joanna is hunting her and who on the train has eyes on him, feeding Joanna information about his every move.
There are a number of twists and turns throughout the movie – which takes place almost entirely on the train – to keep the viewer watching and guessing as to the identity of Prynne, what the person has and who the information incriminates.
While not an original plot, The Commuter is a decent afternoon’s entertainment for fans of either Neeson or the Taken franchise.
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