En tierra de santos y pecadores

In the Land of Saints and Sinners shows perfectly how you make a solid movie without putting billions into special effects and explosions - just tell an old tale new with the help of a superb cast. Especially the acting shines bright in this little flick and makes the story and the characters believable. No doubt, for someone just wanting lots of bum bum and computer generated gimmicks a la Fast and Furios or Tom Cruise's quests on high octane, this won't work to well, but for someone who wants a well told story, this one will do and provide plenty. Not an excellent one but a good one for sure.

I suppose this worked for me not because it has Liam Neeson dispensing typical Liam Neeson savior duties, but for its '70s Irish backdrop, some fine supporting performances, and a snowball-ish plot. For a change, Neeson looks and feels comfortable on his home turf, and his "good heart" becomes the reason for things spiraling out of control. An attempt to help one of the locals invites trouble, and though this is somewhat of a cliché in actioners featuring older stars, the story progression is quite interesting. Kerry Condon, in an antagonistic role, is having fun and chewing up the scenery (I can't wait to see how good she is in Night Swim). There's also the amusing sidekick character played by Jack Gleeson and the confused cop friend played by a reliable Ciarán Hinds; both commendable. Tom Stern's effort in capturing panoramic Irish imagery is probably the strongest reason, however, to watch the film.

Liam Neeson seems well suited to the role as a widowed hitman going up against the IRA, probably because its on his home turf and seems more relaxed around others from the same county?

He plays well off Ciaran Hinds as the local Garda and their friendship is funny and touching.

Kerry Condon is excellent as the villian; believable and refreshing to see a female as the baddie.

I liked the scenery (obviously!) and the soundtrack is solid.

We did struggle a lot with the dialogue , the accents here are very thick so we found it difficult to follow events.

The sweet, good natured Irish villagers and their simple life seemed trite and stereotypical but it's an watchable, well acted would be 'Western'

After one generic action movie after another, Liam Neeson stars in a different kind of movie.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the former, this movie was a pleasant surprise for me for two reasons: first, it's a slower paced movie that's more of a drama than an action thriller. Secondly (and most importantly), there is no clear line between good and evil. Most of the characters can be seen as both saints and sinners in their own way.

I also liked the actors (besides Liam Neeson, especially Ciarán Hinds), the score and the landscape shots.

If you like Liam Neeson's earlier action movies but want to see something different with him in the lead role, you should watch this movie!

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is an Irish Western that prioritises its characters over any action which makes it one of the better Liam Neeson vehicles of recent memory. It covers familiar ground in an effectively old fashioned way, operating as a slow burn and all the better for it.

Liam Neeson is on top form here. He's consistently engaging even if nothing is happening and with this focusing on the character work, he gets to show off more of his dramatic chops. Jack Gleeson has a roguish charm and Kerry Condon is a pretty ruthless villain despite the odd bit of sympathy.

Robert Lorenz's direction is thoroughly old school, all the way down to playing the credits over a final extended scene. It's workmanlike in its construction with some gorgeous scenery. Diego Baldenweg's score has a mournful quality that's an ideal fit for a film that's obsessed with the emotional toll of the violence opposed to the thrill of it.