Overview: Ex-Marine and hardened Arizona rancher Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson) simply wants to be left alone as he tries to make a living on an isolated stretch of borderland.

But everything changes when he witnesses 11-year-old migrant Miguel and his mother fleeing from a band of assassins sent by a ruthless drug cartel.

After being caught in a shootout, Miguels mother begs Jim to take her son to the safety of their family in Chicago.

Defying law enforcement, Jim and Miguel hit the road and slowly begin to forge an unlikely friendship while the cartels relentless assassins blaze a bloody trail, hot on their heels.

Blu-ray Verdict: I do not scare easy. Of course you do not. You are Liam freaking Neeson. You are the butt-kicking ruler of the AARP. Neeson looking like Sean Penns older brother with scruff and mustache in tote, stars in 2021s The Marksman.

The film is another Neeson actioner where he is the antihero, preserver, and everyman all rolled into one. As something about a rancher who tries to protect a kid illegal alien from a nasty cartel, The Marksman is veritable Neeson comfort food (for both him and us).

You want to see him in this role, you know he can carry the proceedings, you know he looks cool handling a firearm, and you know he will deliver a certain level of badassery.

At 68 years old, Liam Neeson makes the villains (who are decades younger than him) bow down with bruised envy. All I gotta say to them is good luck as he confronts and then subsequently deals with them, one after another.

So yeah, The Marksman is also assembly line Neeson. And yup, the film feels improbable with a few plot devices that might have gone AWOL. Still, there is entertainment value to be had with the film being an old, comfortable show ala the man with a particular set of skills.

In truth, The Marksman is a savage road trip flick with inching tension, snarling thugs, and roving danger right around the corner. And oh yeah, you never mess with a broken down, former Marine who loves his guns, his steaks, his late wife, and his swigged whisky!

The director (Robert Lorenz of Trouble with the Curve fame) moves things at a fast, tasty clip. Along with the insertion of a paternal relationship, there are unwanted killings, well-staged gunfights, a house burning, and a car chase or two.

Indeed, Lorenz fashions The Marksman as a pseudo Western combined with a version of Gran Torino that does not take place in one city.

Bottom line: You can mark The Marksman as a must-see for it is not only highly rated, but (for all fans of this genre, let alone Neeson himself) a must see of the highest order! This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.39:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Bonus Feature of:

The Making of The Marksman - Filmmakers and cast discuss the richness of the story and characters, as well as their experiences working with legendary actor Liam Neeson.

Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson is Jim Hanson, a former Marine turned rancher who defies the law to save the life of a young boy from a group of merciless cartel assassins in the suspenseful and powerful action-packed film, The Marksman, available to own for the first time on Digital April 27th, 2021 and Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on May 11th, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The Marksman Official Trailer

Official The Marksman Website

www.uphe.com

Amazon Purchase Link