The Marksman is an action-thriller co-written and directed by Robert Lorenz. He is best known for his collaborations with Clint Eastwood as assistant director and producer in iconic films such as Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River and American Sniper. This is his second feature-length film to date. The plot follows a former marine-turned-rancher named Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson) who stumbles upon Rosa and Miguel, a mother and a son who are being hunted by cartel assassins along the Arizona-Mexican border. Thus he brings it on himself to stage an intervention. The narrative is reminiscent to Road to Perdition and Logan where the titular character forms an eventual bond with a youth in danger. But I would recommend that you watch those films instead as you will receive far more satisfaction as opposed to The Marksman which is a pretty forgettable film, in my opinion. The storyline is straightforward, predictable, and as clichéd as it sounds. It contained recycled material that we've witnessed over the years and it's the reason why I would not advise anyone to consume their precious time with this film. Only if you are an avid follower of Liam Neeson's filmography and you personally enjoy seeing him in these action-fueled roles which is still astonishing to me given his age. The actor clearly has more fight in him before he decides to hang up the boxing gloves. He was only the benefactor for this experience as the film lacks many redeeming qualities. Especially with the selling point for this film which is the relationship between Jim Hansen and Miguel. I didn't fully accept it as their characters weren't fleshed out enough, and that same issue contributed to my dissatisfaction with the supporting cast members as well as their uninspiring performances. This isn't the worst of film of the new year. But it isn't an exceptional one by any means. Follow me on Instagram: @joshuarenealvarez

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