While Liam Neeson is known for action films, his latest release has received controversial reviews from critics. The actor has been active since 1976, but his rise to prominence came after he was cast in the role of Steven Spielberg. Schindler’s List (1993). He was given the keys to his own franchise with Taken in 2008 and quickly became an action star. Over the course of his distinguished career, the actor has received one Oscar nomination, three Golden Globe nominations and two Tony Award nominations. He was even made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions to acting.
However, in recent years, Neeson has stumbled. Although he spent nearly two decades focusing on action films, he is now 76 and rapidly aging out of the genre. Neeson plans to stop starring in action roles by the end of 2025and he’ll likely take the opportunity to star in more dramatic roles. Considering Neeson’s latest action film is struggling to win critical approval, the decision could reinvigorate his career after other recent critical setbacks.
Absolution is fighting Rotten Tomatoes
The reviews were extremely divisive
However AbsolutionThe slogan is “All that’s left is redemption“failed to provide much redemption for Neeson’s career. The film was released on November 1 and debuted with a divisive episode Rotten tomatoes Tomatometer score of just 44%. It currently doesn’t have enough audience reviews to generate a Popcornmeter score, meaning its entire rating depends directly on critics. Of the 27 reviews, only 12 are Fresh, while 15 offered the Rotten designation.
The poor performance is likely linked to the film’s premise. Neeson plays a gangster who tries to break away from the criminal life, but is regularly drawn back into its clutches. Clocking in at 112 minutes, the film is nearly two hours long and fails to deliver the dramatic tension and exciting pacing that made Neeson’s previous films so compelling. It’s a far cry from the excitement of Taken franchise instead offers a slower, more methodical exploration of a fairly typical gangster world.
Our Take on Absolution’s Rotten Tomatoes Struggles
Liam Neeson needs to recover quickly
Since 2019 Common LoveNeeson has struggled to win extraordinary love from critics. Although he maintained high scores from the public, it has only gotten a positive Tomatometer score since the pandemic began in 2020. This despite having starred in 10 films during this period. Neeson, once an acclaimed actor in Hollywood, has certainly stumbled in recent years in the eyes of many critics. Check out the chart below, which shows Neeson’s recent Rotten Tomatoes scores:
|
Title |
Tomatometer Score |
Popcornmeter score (public) |
|---|---|---|
|
Acquittal (2024) |
44% |
N/A |
|
In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023) |
83% |
74% |
|
Retribution (2023) |
30% |
66% |
|
Marlowe (2022) |
26% |
37% |
|
Memory (2022) |
29% |
80% |
|
Dark Light (2022) |
11% |
82% |
|
The Ice Road (2021) |
43% |
30% |
|
The Shooter (2021) |
38% |
83% |
|
Honest Thief (2020) |
41% |
87% |
|
Made in Italy (2020) |
42% |
42% |
|
Ordinary Love (2019) |
93% |
69% |
This graph does not include Bonnie (2022) or Ireland (2022), as neither of them got enough attention to receive Rotten Tomatoes scores. In the land of saints and sinners (2023) was a much-needed break for Neeson, but the film had limited reach and was quickly followed by another divisive release. If he wants to retain the public’s attention, Neeson needs to improve his performance. Action movies defined Liam Neesoncareer, but the actor’s decision to retire could give him the opportunity to reinvigorate a faltering career.
Source: Rotten tomatoes