Sagittarius is on a long list of predictable action thrillers, but it’s a film that’s odd to watch despite its nature. Of course, the main reason for this is Liam Neeson (a good actor, typist or whatever). Even the young Joe Perez, who played second fiddle of the big star, did not spoil his reputation.
If acting is the benchmark we follow:
We might expect the story to pass more than it does. All the usual tropes tossed around forever: a retired Marine past his prime; illegal immigrants cross the Mexican border every day; a mother and daughter duo who are on the run from the wrath of a drug cartel. There’s nothing more to do until death.
But there are cases in history that will surprise you. From the title and essence, you think that the number of balls and bodies is infinite. But no, Neeson’s Vietnamese veterinarian Jim Hanson is not a fan of violence.
He only drew his gun when necessary. He philosophizes with Miguel (Joe Perez) when he announces that he will kill the people responsible for his mother’s fatal shooting. “It doesn’t feel good to take someone else’s life,” said Jim.
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The film is more of a persecution thriller, as most of the plot includes a wrecked pickup truck being chased by the Mexican drug mafia. Jim and Miguel couldn’t have been any different. The first old veteran tired of losing his ranch on the Arizona-Mexico border spends his days with his beloved dog.
Sometimes he alerts the authorities about illegal crossings. Miguel and his mother are really forced to flee the Mexico when his uncle is on the wrong side of a drug cartel. The only thing that binds Jim to Miguel is the murder of the boy’s mother before him; His final wish was for Miguel to be given to relatives in Chicago.
The fulfilment of this dying mother’s last wish bites Jim throughout the story.
His prickly conscience and tense behaviour led him to break the law to keep that promise. One look at Neisham’s face, and you know his Character does not break promises. The trade-off between Neisham and Perez shifts from initial awkwardness and disbelief to more sophisticated terrain.
As the plot progresses. Jim did all the talking initially, flooding his English sentences with the only Spanish word he knew: comprende. As usual, Miguel remained cautious until he finally answered in perfect English. This sequence is hilarious because Jim’s answer has a will: “Well, all right. He talks!”
These two characters separate generations and worlds, but they find a way to take advantage of difficult situations. And whether they bond with Jim’s dog or learn from each other’s individual stories, scenes like the one above are the best The Marksman has to offer. Your acting has a somewhat clichéd narrative. Neisham is the most thoughtful and intense of his type.
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While Perez is as natural as possible.
The intensity of contemplation we expect from almost every Liam Neeson appearance (even in the scarier films) is unwavering here. He can overtake and outsmart the drug mafia, give boys perspective on the adverse effects of violence, or occasionally drop his sniper rifle if his back is against a wall. Still, the one thing he doesn’t do is escape Character.
The film’s stance against violence is exciting and comes to the fore in one of the final scenes with Jim, Miguel and the drug cartel leaders. Jim is forced to use force to protect the boy and himself, but he will make sure that Miguel doesn’t go down the same path.
In general, the plot moves on the beaten path. Some of the characters are pretty sketchy, and the acting is pretty good, but the extensive storyline makes it both predictable and mundane. However, the pairing of the two very different characters and their many conversations on the run piqued our curiosity. Field chases precede shorter firing sequences and close-quarters combat. And while Liam Neeson is excellent at everything, he desperately needs a better script to showcase his complete acting skills.