Liam Neeson has starred in high-quality films that have not received widespread recognition. Irish Star takes a look at the ten underrated Neeson movies you need to watch
Many of Liam Neeson’s hit movies are ranked in the top spot on multiple streaming platforms.
The Irish actor’s 2021 action flick, The Marksman, is leading the Netflix streaming chart. Others that rank No. 1 are his latest comedic endeavor, The Naked Gun, which is reigning supreme on Paramount+.
Neeson has been captivating audiences on the big screen for several decades. His impressive filmography includes several Oscar-winning films, such as Schindler’s List, and multiple action blockbusters, including Taken. He also starred in the 2016 film Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese, in which he played a 17th-century Portuguese missionary.
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Neeson has been praised for his versatility across multiple film genres, including voice work and supporting roles in blockbuster movies such as Star Wars and Batman Begins. He has also starred in a variety of high-quality films that have not received widespread recognition. Irish Star takes a look at the ten most underrated Neeson movies you need to watch.
A Walk Among The Tombstones
Since his widely praised performance in the 2008 film Taken, Neeson has headlined countless action films, including the 2014 movie A Walk Among the Tombstones. The action-thriller enjoyed moderate box office success, although it probably wasn’t enough to justify any hopes for a sequel.
The movie is elevated by a powerful performance from Neeson. At the time, critics heaped praise on Neeson at the time of the flick’s release.
Five Minutes Of Heaven
Neeson starred in 2009’s Five Minutes of Heaven, a year after his role in Taken, and it helped establish him as a household name among contemporary audiences. However, the movie was overshadowed by the blockbuster success of Taken.
While Taken became a worldwide sensation, Five Minutes of Heaven is a more intimate-scale film that premiered on BBC Two and had a limited theatrical run. The film received favorable reviews, holding a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with particular praise directed at the performances of Neeson and his co-star James Nesbitt.
Five Minutes of Heaven has two segments. The first part delves into the historical murder of Jim Griffin by Allstair Little, who is portrayed by Neeson in 1975, while the second portrays a fictional encounter between Griffin’s brother and Little several decades later.
The Grey
By 2011, audiences had a pretty good idea of what to expect from a Liam Neeson movie. More often than not, he’d be the protagonist of an action-packed film where he takes down a slew of villains.
The Grey, which came out that year, offered a refreshing change of pace amidst all that. In The Grey, Neeson finds himself battling the elements and wildlife in the wilderness rather than human adversaries. Set in Alaska, the film follows oil workers who are stranded after a plane crash and subsequently stalked and attacked by wolves.
The movie delivers intense action. It is truly an underrated treasure, thanks to Neeson’s dedicated performance, well-developed characters, and thoughtful philosophical themes, in The Grey.
Michael Collins
1996 movie Michael Collins sees Neeson star alongside a stellar cast including Julia Roberts, Aidan Quinn, Alan Rickman, and Brendan Gleeson. The movie is a historical drama about Michael Collins, a key figure in Ireland’s fight for independence from the United Kingdom in the early 20th century.
Despite garnering positive reviews and two Academy Award nominations, Michael Collins is often overlooked in discussions about Liam Neeson’s best work.
In The Land Of Saints And Sinners
In the Land of Saints and Sinners is the second collaboration between Liam Neeson and director Robert Lorenz, after they teamed up for The Marksman.
The 2023 movie is about a retired hitman who is drawn back into action when an IRA bomber on the run appears in his town. Joining Neeson on the cast are Kerry Condon, Jack Gleeson, and Ciarán Hinds, creating a top-notch ensemble.
Despite its similarities to other Neeson action films, In the Land of Saints and Sinners was praised for its sharp writing and ranks among Neeson’s best action thrillers.
A Monster Calls
In the 2006 fantasy movie A Monster Calls, Neeson was called upon to provide both the voice work and motion capture performance for his character.
Neeson brings to life the titular creature in A Monster Calls, a film adapted from a novel of the same name. The narrative follows a boy who hears stories from a giant, anthropomorphic yew tree as he grapples with his mother’s terminal illness.
A Monster Calls is one of Neeson’s most critically acclaimed films, boasting an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s emotional depth and balance of dark themes with fantastical elements have been particularly praised.
Kinsey
Liam Neeson has been praised by critics for his portrayal of characters in historical films, such as Schindler’s List and Michael Collins. But Kinsey might be the most underrated movie among Neeson’s historical dramas.
The 2004 film is about Alfred Charles Kinsey, a trailblazer in sexology, whose groundbreaking work explored human sexual behavior. Neeson delivers a compelling performance as the eponymous Kinsey, providing a fantastic showcase of the actor’s versatility.
Kinsey garnered positive reviews and is another hidden gem in Neeson’s filmography. His portrayal earned him a Golden Globe nomination, while his co-star, Laura Linney, received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Darkman
Before the superhero genre took Hollywood by storm, many early attempts at such films were overlooked. Darkman, a superhero horror flick directed by Sam Raimi before his Spider-Man and Doctor Strange days, is one such example.
1990 flick Darkman tells the tale of a man left for dead by a merciless mob boss, who gains superhuman strength and resilience from an experimental procedure that also leaves him mentally unstable and on the brink of insanity, making him an unconventional hero or vigilante.
Upon its release, Darkman was a decent box office success and garnered positive reviews from critics, particularly praising Neeson’s performance in the lead role. Unfortunately, it didn’t stand the test of time, and its sequels were released straight to video without Neeson or Raimi’s involvement.
Widows
The 2018 film Widows is widely regarded as one of the most overlooked films of the past decade. This Steve McQueen-directed heist thriller is based on an 80s TV show of the same name.
The plot revolves around four Chicago women who plan to steal $5 million from a politician to repay a crime lord their husbands were indebted to before they were killed during a botched escape attempt. The film received widespread praise and boasts an impressive cast, including Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, and Liam Neeson, who portrays Davis’ husband.
Ordinary Love
Liam Neeson is typically associated with action, fantasy, and biopics. However, the 2019 romantic drama Ordinary Love is not like many other films he has starred in before.
The film centers on a middle-aged couple grappling with the devastating news of the wife’s breast cancer diagnosis. Lesley Manville delivers a compelling performance as Neeson’s wife in the film.
Ordinary Love was not a box office sensation, but was well-received by critics. The movie boasts a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with most praised directed towards the stellar lead performances and the dramatic plot.