The Commuter (2018)

Yoshida finds the film’s train-bound action surprisingly tactile and more memorable than expected. She especially praises its lovingly specific depiction of commuting and the mundane details that give the thriller its texture.

The critic finds the film a total delight and praises its commitment to entertaining, straight-faced action. She singles out the opening sequence and the film’s energetic choreography.

The review finds the thriller smart, politically astute entertainment, despite a plot that makes little sense in retrospect. It praises Collet-Serra’s inventive camerawork in the train’s cramped spaces.

Lund finds the film’s final optimism convincing despite some implausible plot turns. He praises Collet-Serra’s inventive, immersive camerawork and the way it sustains the train-bound paranoia.

Hughes calls it a surprisingly enjoyable, forgettable crowd-pleaser whose momentum outweighs its plot holes. He praises Neeson as an engaging, relatable everyman, while faulting the thriller’s implausible logic.

Turan finds the film an entertaining, if not top-tier, entry in Neeson and Collet-Serra’s action-thriller series. He praises Neeson’s ability to carry the formula and Collet-Serra’s skill at keeping the film moving, despite a far-fetched and confusing plot.

Mintzer finds the thriller enjoyable and worth the ride, though ultimately forgettable. He praises its sustained train-bound suspense and a showy, inventive fight sequence that uses the setting effectively.

The visible standfirst suggests a familiar Liam Neeson and Jaume Collet-Serra setup moved to a new location, but does not reveal the critic’s overall verdict. The review’s specific praise or complaint is unavailable in the paywalled text.

The critic calls it a workmanlike thriller that falls short of the tension in Neeson’s earlier films of this kind. They fault its convoluted plot twists for undermining the narrative.

Rose finds it an efficient, enjoyable action thriller, though too familiar and stripped-down to linger in the memory. He particularly praises Liam Neeson’s commanding presence and the film’s inventive camera work aboard the train.

The critic finds the thriller unsuccessful. The Hitchcockian wrong-man premise is singled out as going wrong.

Lodge finds the film less enjoyable than the director’s previous action collaborations, though it still offers some transient thrills. He particularly criticizes its breakneck pace for leaving the story and its conspiracy hard to follow.

The review is negative about the film’s contrived thriller plot. It singles out the increasingly implausible events aboard the train as a key weakness.

The critic finds the film a cringe-worthy, mostly bad action thriller that is best avoided. She singles out the uniformly excellent acting as a bright spot amid the implausible action and clumsy moments.

Brody gives the film a sharply negative assessment, calling its action laughable and its drama cynical. He particularly faults the contrived plotting and the director’s failure to observe or choreograph the violence with care.

The critic gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it a fascinating, edge-of-seat thriller. They single out Liam Neeson’s reliable authenticity, decency and compassion as the film’s great strengths.

Crump finds the film a goofy, highly enjoyable action thriller, despite its familiar plot structure. He praises its escalating twists and over-the-top set pieces, including Neeson fending off an attacker with an electric guitar.

The critic finds the film a gripping, enjoyable thriller whose escalating pulpiness is easy to forgive despite a predictable mystery and underused supporting cast. They especially praise Collet-Serra’s fluid, well-paced direction and the electric-guitar fight sequence.

Nayman praises The Commuter as an inventive, technically accomplished thriller, while noting its predictable plot and overly simple resolution. He especially singles out Collet-Serra’s visual craft and the film’s sustained sense of momentum.

The critic finds the film an over-the-top, mostly entertaining ride, despite its formulaic script and implausible plot. They praise Collet-Serra’s inventive visual flair and Neeson’s committed performance.

Han finds the film a highly enjoyable, familiar Neeson action vehicle, with the star’s commitment and Jaume Collet-Serra’s direction making the formula work. She praises the tense train-bound action, while criticizing the bloated, unnecessarily theatrical final act.

Hammond finds the film entertaining for much of its runtime but ultimately forgettable and reliant on familiar action tropes. He praises Neeson’s ability to carry the mystery and action, while noting the supporting roles are one-dimensional.

Kaye finds the film a rote, disappointing entry in Neeson and Collet-Serra’s action-thriller collaborations. He praises the opening montage’s economical depiction of family life, but faults the convoluted plot and unconvincing action.

The critic finds the film entertaining at its best but ultimately weighed down by a third-act slowdown. He praises Neeson’s capable action-hero performance, while faulting the delayed explanations and convoluted plotting.

The critic finds the film an incoherent, frustrating thriller that derails its own story. They praise Jonathan Banks and Vera Farmiga, while faulting the script for constantly changing direction.