Movie Review: Non-Stop

Movie Review: Non-Stop

Rated PG-13

110 minutes

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

Non-Stop wasn't a movie I wanted to see for a long time. I thought it looked kind of bad from the trailers, and I was never completely sold on it. Then, on opening day, I found out it was a whodunnit type film. Now, I'm impartial to detective-type stories, so I basically turned around on this movie.I wanted to see it, and decided to be more open to it. I rewatched the trailer, and thought it might have good action. So I went in with the full 180 in effect, and was looking forward to it.

And, I must say, I had a pretty good time with it. It took its time to think for some things, and all of the actors were well cast. The script, while for sure not the best, was better than I thought it would've been. It was genuinely fun, and it kept me guessing who the killer was going to be. My guess changed over the course of the film, which is shocking because normally with mystery films, I stick with my gut. I liked how ethnic the cast was, as it seemed like how a real plane would be, and not just a big white parade. I liked how the action sequences were filmed, as I knew where everything was placed.

There were some problems, for sure. Such as the final explanation. It felt so dated and unnecessary, and the person could've just killed Neeson right then and there. If it were left ambiguous, I feel it would've felt much better. Additionally, Lupita has nothing to do here. I'm pretty sure that the writers just forgot about her at points, because there are 25-30 minute stretches where she's nowhere to be seen. Also, the whole daughter subplot just felt overbearing and out of place. We were already rooting for Neeson, we don't need to throw in backstory. And another thing, I feel like every good mystery film should have a memorable theme, and this one didn't have it.

Non-Stop boils down to a fun movie to throw on TV. If you haven't seen it, you'll have fun trying to guess who the killer is. If you have, you'll have fun trying to spot the red herrings and the subtle little clues. And I'll watch this every other time I get on a plane to remind myself what could go wrong if the Neeson isn't there to protect us.

3/5

C+