Blacklight (2022) Review
Directed by: Mark Williams
Starring: Liam Neeson; Emmy Raver-Lampman; Taylor John Smith; Aidan Quinn
Synopsis: Trust, identity, and the danger of unchecked power push a covert operative to the edge in director Mark Williams’ intense action thriller Blacklight. Travis Block (Neeson) lives and fights in the shadows. A freelance government “fixer,” Block is a dangerous man whose assignments have included extracting agents out of deep-cover situations. When Block discovers a shadowy program called Operation Unity is striking down ordinary citizens for reasons known only to Block’s boss, FBI chief Robinson (Quinn), he enlists the help of a journalist (Raver-Lampman), but his past and present collide when his daughter and granddaughter are threatened. Now Block needs to rescue the people he loves and expose the truth for a shot at redemption. Nothing and no one is safe when secrets are hidden in Blacklight.
Review: Liam Neeson returns with this explosive new thriller, Blacklight, produced and directed by the talented Mark Williams.
In a world of treachery and espionage, Travis Block (Neeson) who works for the FBI, gets caught up in a web of deceit. He is the best in the industry — he rescues undercover agents who have gotten in too deep or whose cover has been blown and identity exposed. Block’s job is risky as he is not explicitly in the books, meaning if he gets caught or killed, he will never be traced back to the FBI.
Director, Mark Williams, seems to have a real enjoyment working with Neeson, having now produced three movies and directed two with the star. Along with Blacklight, Neeson and Williams also made The Marksman and Honest Thief together too.
Blacklight’s opening scene is an instant hook showcasing Travis Block’s calm, cool, action-hero persona. He puts the pedal-to-the-metal straight into the campsite of a backwoods militia gang in order to save an agent that needs to be extracted. He swoops in, blows some shit up, and leaves without being seen. It’s an opening that automatically engages the brain into ‘Neeson-action mode’.
As the movie rolls on, we learn more about Block’s past and are introduced to his daughter and granddaughter. We soon realise that he is a family man at heart and wants nothing more than to retire and be with them. Naturally though, there’s a spanner thrown in the works — an agent ends up in prison and makes revelations to the press about Operation Unity, a shadowy group of hitmen that kill innocent civilians.This single event unleashes a shit storm for Block, and then his family disappears. With Block wanting answers and to save his family, he finds that someone he knows is behind Operation Unity. Travis teams up with journalist Mira Jones to get some answers.
Blacklight’s story is one that will keep viewers hooked to the end. Mark Williams knows his way around an action movie so we get everything we want: fist fights, gun fights, explosions, and an adrenaline-pumping car chase. You can see Williams is a man who loves action. And Neeson, who will be turning 70 this year, is on top form and does what he does best — he uses his very particular set of skills, skills that he has acquired over a very long career, to complete his mission.
Blacklight is an explosive action thriller that will keep you hooked from start to finish. It is a must-see this year! I look forward to Neeson’s next film and seeing what Mark Williams has in store for us too!
