The first scrobble for this title is still propagating, but a community review is already indexed below.
Reviews
Longform community posts about this title
Absolution (2024) || Even Our Heroes Can’t Outrun Age@teknon257d
It honestly breaks my heart watching my favorite Hollywood actor, Liam Neeson, grow old on screen. I mean, I grew up seeing him chase down bad guys with that calm, commanding voice that could freeze blood mid-flow. But in this film, the years finally catch up, it’s not just in the story, but in reality too. The film doesn’t try to hide it either. It leans into it, portraying him as a man whose strength is now tempered by time, whose fight scenes are slower but somehow carry more weight.
The film follows Neeson as Thug, a hitman diagnosed with a rare form of dementia, who tries to reconnect with the only family he has left, his daughter and grandson but his past life as a criminal catches up with him, threatening to disrupt the familial bond he aimed to achieve.
The premise alone sets the tone for something dark, heavy and deeply emotional. What unfolds in here is less of a high-octane action flick and more of a reflection on mortality, on guilt, and on what it means to face the end with both dignity and regret.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the action is still there. If you’re a fan, you’ll know you can’t have a Neeson film without a few chases, gunfire, and growling threats that will make you sit up straight for a while. But this time, the punches aren’t just physical, they’re also emotional. You can see it in his eyes, that quiet weariness that says more than words ever could. It’s haunting, in a beautiful, tragic sort of way.
The direction keeps things gritty and grounded, and while the pacing sometimes feels uneven, it actually mirrors the confusion of a man losing his grip on reality. What this film nails, though, is its emotional honesty. It doesn’t pretend Neeson is still the unstoppable force from the 2008 movie Taken; instead, it honors his evolution, a man battling time while also trying to make peace with his past.
By the time the credits rolled, I found myself just sitting there, staring into space. I didn’t zone out that way because the ending shocked me, but because it reminded me that even our heroes can’t outrun age. Watching Neeson grow old hurts a little, but it’s also humbling. It’s proof that his legacy isn’t merely about power and precision but it’s more of heart.
Rating: 8/10
If you’re a fan of Liam Neeson, one who appreciates depth over chaos and anyone who wants to see an action film that doubles as a meditation on aging, memory, and redemption, I would recommend this but if it’s the opposite for you, then you know what to do.
Hay actores de los cuales uno es fanático ya sea por su forma de actuar, por el tipo de películas que hace o por ambas, las películas de Liam Neeson son bien particulares y están muy encasilladas. Desde la mítica saga de "Taken" hasta la actualidad he tratado de seguir los films en donde él es protagonista y siempre tienen la misma premisa: un tipo con un pasado que termina alcanzándolo en el presente. Liam en la actualidad tiene 72 años, ya no es ese actor ágil que corre y hace grandes escenas de peleas, ahora sus papeles son, en personalidad idénticos, pero en lo físico notablemente menos explosivo. Y un ejemplo de esto es esta película, un antiguo gángster y ex boxeador al que la vida le ha pasado mucha factura.
There are actors of which one is a fan either by the way they act, by the type of films they make or both, Liam Neeson's films are very particular and are very pigeonholed. From the mythical “Taken” saga to the present I have tried to follow the films in which he stars and they always have the same premise: a guy with a past that ends up catching up with him in the present. Liam is now 72 years old, he is no longer that agile actor who runs and makes great fight scenes, now his roles are, in personality identical, but in the physical aspect notably less explosive. And an example of this is this film, a former gangster and ex-boxer to whom life has taken its toll.
Tenemos a Liam, no se le conoce nombre en el film, un tipo solo y que poco a poco su vida y salud van decayendo. Está solo por las decisiones que tomó en el pasado y su salud cada vez peor también por dichas decisiones. Un día se entera que tiene una condición en su cerebro que le está haciendo perder la memoria de manera acelerada, esto es un problema porque puede entorpecer su trabajo. En qué trabaja? - pues lo hace para una organización criminal que se encarga de lo típico: drogas, trata de personas, armas, etc. Al saber que le queda poco tiempo lúcido decide enmendar un poco las cosas y tratar de reducir esa carga inmensa de pecados que lleva a cuestas.
We have Liam, no name is given in the film, a lonely guy whose life and health are slowly declining. He is alone because of decisions he made in the past and his health is getting worse and worse because of those decisions. One day he finds out that he has a condition in his brain that is making him lose his memory in an accelerated way, this is a problem because it can hinder his work. What does he work on? - Well, he works for a criminal organization that deals with the usual things: drugs, human trafficking, weapons, etc. Knowing that he has little lucid time left, he decides to make some amends and try to reduce the immense burden of sins he carries on his shoulders.
Como es de esperarse busca a sus seres queridos, los mismos que abandonó por la vida que decidió seguir, y llama a su hija. La relación no es la mejor pero poco a poco esas asperezas parecieran ir desapareciendo. El tema acá es que la vida criminal no abandona a sus hijos y siempre, de una forma u otra, termina llegando para cobrar. La trama se centra en eso, él tratando de expiarse al mismo tiempo que pone orden con algunos asuntos pendientes de su trabajo actual. Como ya dije Neeson no está para escenas de acción pero eso no lo imposibilita de hacer un muy buen papel de criminal duro y despiadado, de hecho me atrevería a decir que es una actuación bastante buena a pesar de que el film sea cualquier cosa.
As expected, he looks for his loved ones, the same ones he abandoned for the life he decided to follow, and calls his daughter. The relationship is not the best but little by little those rough edges seem to be disappearing. The theme here is that criminal life does not abandon its children and always, in one way or another, ends up coming to collect. The plot centers on that, him trying to atone while at the same time tidying up some unfinished business from his current job. As I said Neeson is not for action scenes but that doesn't stop him from playing a very good role as a tough and ruthless criminal, in fact I would go as far as to say it's a pretty good performance despite the film being anything but.
Más allá de ser una película de gangsters yo diría que es una especie de drama porque este personaje navega por muchos traumas de su pasado provocados por su padre; parte de que él sea como es en la actualidad es por todo lo vivido con su papá, que ya les digo no fue un camino de rosas. Vemos como una lucha constante por tratar de ser mejor, de dejar atrás los viejos hábitos pero siempre llega algún detonante, en este caso el alcohol, para borrar cualquier avance. En el proceso conoce a una mujer que sorprendentemente decide estar con él y que contra todo pronóstico lo ayuda mucho, le muestra un poco de humanidad; conoce a su nieto quien también forma parte de esa limpieza de conciencia y hace una que otra cosa que ya verán en el film.
Beyond being a gangster movie I would say that it is a kind of drama because this character navigates through many traumas of his past caused by his father; part of what makes him the way he is today is because of everything he lived with his father, which as I said was not a bed of roses. We see how a constant struggle to try to be better, to leave behind old habits but always comes a trigger, in this case alcohol, to erase any progress. In the process he meets a woman who surprisingly decides to be with him and against all odds helps him a lot, shows him a little humanity; he meets his grandson who is also part of this cleansing of conscience and does one thing or another that you will see in the film.
La película no aburre, por momentos puede ser lenta pero no al punto de querer quitarla. Está cool porque estamos acostumbrados de ver a Liam hacer justicia con sus propias manos, acá la hace pero en menor medida y teniendo en cuenta su estado actual. Que ojo, igual lo vemos lanzar golpes y hacer una que otra escena de disparos, tampoco es que estamos hablando de un actor incapacitado pero si que es verdad que obviamente no es el mismo de films anteriores. Con lo que realmente me quedo es con la interpretación de él. Estos personajes tienden a hacer vacíos y muy básicos pero aquí Neeson le inyecta su toque y termina siendo un hombre muy melancólico, hundido y sobre todo abrumado y arrepentido al mismo tiempo. Es querer hacer mil cosas pero tu cuerpo no te acompaña.
The movie is not boring, it can be slow at times but not to the point of wanting to take it away. It's cool because we are used to see Liam do justice with his own hands, here he does it but to a lesser extent and taking into account his current state. We still see him throwing punches and doing the occasional shooting scene, it's not that we are talking about an incapacitated actor but it is true that he is obviously not the same as in previous films. What I really like is his performance. These characters tend to be empty and very basic but here Neeson injects his touch and ends up being a very melancholic man, sunken and above all overwhelmed and regretful at the same time. It's wanting to do a thousand things but your body doesn't go with you.
El final es el esperado y el único que para mi era aceptable. En fin, una película muy sensible a veces, más de lo esperado y que nos muestra unos traumas inconclusos que siempre es mejor tratar de superarlos a tiempo. Dura poco menos de dos horas, algo larga para mi. Le doy un 6/10. Entretiene, no es lo mejor ni muchos menos pero la actuacion de Liam Neeson es muy buena, me gustó. Les dejo el tráiler por acá abajo.
The ending is the expected and the only one that for me was acceptable. In short, a very sensitive film at times, more than expected and that shows us some unfinished traumas that it is always better to try to overcome them in time. It lasts a little less than two hours, a little long for me. I give it a 6/10. It entertains, it's not the best but Liam Neeson's performance is very good, I liked it. I leave the trailer below.
The movie i decided to watch yesterday is Absolution which aired on 1st of November so we are talking about quite a new film. To tell you the truth i didn't watch any trailers before watching it, i only knew that Liam Neeson is the protagonist so i said to myself why not? This is an action/crime movie that also has the mystery title as well for some reason i can't understand. Note that the movie is around 2 hours long.
Plot
So we got Liam Neeson playing an old gangster who got out of prison after many years and he is still trying to leave the gangsta life in some way. He lives by himself and works for a crime boss named Charlie Conner (Ron Perlman, what a nice surprise) doing small jobs. He is basically helping his son who is an aspiring "crime boss" who also is so full of himself.
At the same time, we see Liam forgetting things like the name of his boss even where he lives. Turns out that due to his age and his lifestyle, he has a sickness that starts with forgetting things and basically can't live by yourself. Also, there is no treatment for it. At first, he tries a bit to get the hang of it but he realizes that it's unavoidable and tries to make amends.
He has no wife, but he has a daughter and a son. He calls his daughter in order to see her but she doesn't want to and also informs him that his son is dead from overdose. Now the rest of the movie is about how he tries to make amends both in terms of his only family that is the daughter and with his criminal past.
What I Liked and What I Didn't
Liam is pretty good as always in terms of acting but his role is basically the same as in every movie. Thankfully the only difference is that this character is getting worse day by day and it's not like someone who beats everyone. Most of the other characters though feel a bit rushed and are basically supporting characters.
The 2/3 of the movie is like watching a bit of Drama with different aspects and small plots and during the third one we get the typical Liam Neeson rampage. The action was also mediocre and took only a couple of minutes out of the 2 hours, understandable though based on the movie plot.
In general, the movie at least in my eyes felt boring and it was simply something to pass the time. Maybe if a person of the same age or an old gangster was watching the movie, it could mean something more to him but i would not recommend it nor i would pay to watch it in the cinema to tell you the truth
