Plot Details: This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
The All Nighter
Plot Overview
Ex hit man Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson), aka The Gravedigger, is in a bad way. He's wounded lying on the ground in a woods where a chase has been going on. He confesses, “I've done terrible things in my life, things for which I could never be forgiven. I've always known my sins would catch up with me.” An intertitle flashes: 15 Hours Earlier, and we see this development in progress.
He and Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) had known each other since 1970 (“We enlisted that fall”) and had become partners in crime. Other of their cronies are dead or behind bars, some of them—lots of them—killed by Jimmy, including his own nephew who turned snitch. Shawn has gone legit (sort of), and Jimmy has retired (guilt-ridden.) Jimmy hits Shawn up for some booze money, and in return agrees to play Santa Claus for Shawn's son Danny's (Boyd Holbrook) birthday party. Santa shows up soused (“Mom, Santa smells funny.”)
Meanwhile, Danny has a business proposition for his old man (“I'm introducing my father to some new business partners”) involving some Albanians who “paid you to guarantee your father's support.” When they don't get it and can't get their money back, they have no sense of humor. That leads to fireworks that also involve Jimmy's estranged son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) the limo driver for the Albanians. Some cops get killed, too. Jimmy and Shawn “cross that line together” when one's son survives and the other's doesn't, making them fight each other to the death to balance the books. It gives a whole new meaning to "Santa" delivering his rounds to all the deserving in a single night.
Ideology
The story of Nehemiah rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem under enemy threat contains many valuable lessons for spiritual endeavors and battles. (Neh. 4:19-20) “And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.” Jimmy and his son Michael are separated by an estrangement. Mike is going straight so as not to be like his dad who for his part is showing remorse for being such a killer. When Jimmy hears about the hot water his son is in, he comes to his aid to help him fight his battles, even though they hadn't spoken to each other in years.
(Neh. 4:21) “So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.” There was a division of labor where half the men did guard duty. Jimmy was the half that was armed, and Mike the half that just tried to stay alive. Jimmy didn't want him to become a killer, too.
(Neh. 4:22-23) “Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.” Jimmy had Mike send his family to a safe house, and then they had to rouse the children for a midnight game of hide & seek when the bad guys showed up looking for them.
Production Values
“Run All Night” (2015) was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It was written by Brad Ingelsby. The film stars Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, rapper Common, and Ed Harris. The acting was great film, especially for having the two legends Ed Harris and Liam Neeson on screen together. Liam Neeson's acting was Oscar worthy. The acting by all characters was wonderful, especially that of Joel Kinnaman, who plays his character's son, Mike Conlon. Common made one mean prfessional assassin.
MPAA rated it R for strong violence, language including sexual references, and some drug use. Junkie XL's musical score delivers some helpful depth in the bigger action scenes. The music was cool and fit in well with the plot, though it was perhaps overdramatic. The script takes its time for some excellent character development. The whole movie is shot and edited very creatively. It boasts some fabulous hand to hand combat action scenes, and there's even a nail-biter of a chase scene. Of note is the nice way of changing film location by pulling out of the current scene to show an overhead long shot of the city, then coming in close on the new location. I think they did it by zooming in on a fixed photo(s). Cute.
Review Conclusion w/ Christian Recommendation
This movie sure grabbed my attention and held it. It was so well acted and played out that it gets highest marks from me. There's an aura of unpredictability that stays with it until the end.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Edge of your seat action-packed. Suitability For Children: Not Suitable for Children of Any Age. Special effects: Well done special effects. Video Occasion: Fit For a Friday Evening. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall product rating: Five stars out of five.
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