Monday Morning Quarterback

By BOP Staff

February 22, 2011

I hadn't realized they were that *ahem* close.

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Reagen Sulewski: I had expected this to come in a little higher, but it's hit about 90% of my expectations so far. I definitely have to agree that these last couple of weeks are a case study in branding, and in what works and what doesn't. While I had expected Unknown to be able to build on Taken's incredible word-of-mouth, there was apparently a lot of money to be earned in making this movie look almost exactly like another film that people had said they wanted to see.

Michael Lynderey: I wonder if Neeson has created his own niche of European-set thrillers where confused American men attempt to outwit mal-intentioned conspiracies orchestrated by men with funny accents. People seem to like Neeson, for obvious reasons, and give him the benefit of the doubt after Taken, but these movies are probably only going to get more absurd from here.

Love Actually 2: This Time Liam Neeson Has His Revenge!

Kim Hollis: Do you believe Liam Neeson will do several more films along this lines, or do you view his current status as an action star to be short-lived?

Reagen Sulewski: I think it's necessarily short-lived in that he's 58 - unless Stallone hands The Expendables franchise over to him. Plausibility has to enter into it at some point.




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Edwin Davies: If there is any future in these sort of roles for him, it's either as a grizzled mentor - a role he played in both the A-Team and The Next Three Days - or, if he doggedly continues to be the lead, it's one that prominently includes the phrase "Straight-to-DVD." He could keep plowing this particular furrow, but throughout his career Neeson has proven to be a very shrewd actor who knows when to stick with something and when to move on. He could squeeze a few more of these in, and judging by his upcoming projects he is doing his hardest to do so, but there is a time limit involved.

Josh Spiegel: As sad as it is, I could easily see the former Oskar Schindler in direct-to-DVD movies. I agree that his age has to play into it eventually (though I wouldn't have pegged the man as only two years from being 60), but he's obviously enjoying some aspect of doing these movies. The paychecks must be a primary reason, but when he's doing something like Wrath of the Titans ("Here's the titans...and here's the wrath!"), I have to assume he enjoys getting to play roles he'd have gotten a kick out of when he was a kid. In a few years, we'll know for sure, but I hope he steers clear of the route that leads to working for peanuts.

Brett Beach: He looks to be in great shape, and actually more pleasing to the eye than Stallone and Schwarzenegger were at this age (back around 2003). Hell, even though he isn't an icon like Eastwood, who's to say he doesn't have a Gran Torino or two in him over the next 20 years. I don't foresee DTD to be in his immediate future at all and think he will continue to do roles like these if he has fun with them and is still offered them.


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