Liam Neeson is back in “Blacklight” and continues his recent trend of action-oriented roles
Neeson plays Travis Block; a fixer who works off the books for his old Army friend Gabriel Robinson (Aidan Quinn); who is currently the head of the F.B.I.
Travis is tasked with bringing in an agent named Dusty (Taylor John Smith) who is looking to bring his knowledge of his work; especially a project named “Unity” to the media.
Robinson cannot allow what Dusty knows to become public knowledge and orders him to be silenced. This causes Travis to rethink his career and decides he wants to try to spend more time with his Granddaughter and estranged daughter.
Naturally, a valuable resource like Travis will not be able to just walk away and when his family vanishes without a trace; Travis uses all of his skills while working with a Journalist named Mira (Emmy Raver- Lampman) to bring the truth to light and the guilty to justice.
“Blacklight” has a very interesting premise but after spending the first ¾ of the film setting up the characters and the scenarios; goes rapidly off the rails and takes a very safe and conflicting path to conclusion.
After an engaging action sequence that started well but came off as anti-climactic; the film rushes to a conclusion when there were numerous other scenarios that were likely to follow. The final confrontation is underwhelming and the final outcome contradicts earlier events.
One fact that the film drives home is how Travis’s work is a concern for his family and has caused him mental issues. This is all magically resolved in the final moments of the film seemingly overnight and without explanation and is a marked contrast from how things had been portrayed throughout the film.
In the end, “Blacklight” fails to capture the potential that the premise and star offered and instead disappoints.
2.5 stars out of 5
