User reviews

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.

At first glance this movie looks like the typical Liam Neeson action-revenge-flick that we all have gotten used to. But "In The Land of Saints and Sinners" stand out due to great acting by a stellar supporting cast and by fantastic cinematography.

The story takes place in a small irish coastal town during the 70's. Liam Neeson plays an ex war hero now turned hitman, and when trying to turn his old sinful life around he gets in trouble with a bunch of IRA.terrorists in hidehout after a bombing in Dublin.

The movie is filled with great supporting actors such as Ciarán Hinds, Cold Meaney,Jack Gleeson and Kerry Condon. The latter was great in The Banshees of Inisherin, and in this movie she plays a fantastic villain. The overall story and dialogue is OK, but it's the acting together with the beautiful cinematography that carries this movie to an above average Liam Neeson revenge flick.

In the land of Saints and Sinners is one of the better offerings from Liam Neeson which have been released in the last 5 or 6 years.

Set in Ireland at the time of 'The Troubles' it's pretty clear what you're going to get as soon as the film starts. And there won't be any twists and turns. But the film still entertains.

It moves along at a good pace and despite (Liam's character) Finbar being of a very dubious disposition we soon root for him against a gang of evil IRA bombers who have been blowing kids up.

The Irish scenery is beautiful and at times bleak.

The film manages to look and feel like a 70s story and the acting is very good from everyone involved.

This one is well worth a watch.

Entertaining and satisfying.

Great for a rainy night in.

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!

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

In the early 1970's, a rebel IRA faction, headed by Doiraenn McCann (Kerry Condon) plant a carbomb in a side street. Meanwhile, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) is a former World War II veteran and mercenary, carrying out assignments for contractor Robert McQue (Colm Meaney.) Burnt out and cynical, he finds a personal reason to care when he sees a young girl being controlled by Curtis Jane (Desmond Eastwood), which sets in motion a shattering chain of events, involving a collision with Doiraenn and her clan.

No matter how much time passes, the western remains one of the most enduring genres, always finding new life in different variations in different styles of films, even to the point of being used in films set in the present times. Director Robert Lorenz is the latest example of this, following in the footsteps of films like 2016's Hell or High Water, with this slow burner. If you don't know it's been framed as a 'modern western', it won't immediately dawn on you, making the experience all the more of a meandering one.

Set against the backdrop of some pretty turbulent events in Ireland's history, it gives it some pretty heavy baggage to contend with, against the motivation of making some kind of modern day Clint Eastwood film. But in terms of lead star Neeson, it just feels like another notch on the post of his later life action hero trajectory, which he infuses with his usual gruff, mumbling style, to much the same effect as ever. He's propped up by a support cast, including veteran's such as Meany, and Condon, who is effectively icy and hard faced as the dogged central protagonist.

For die hard fans of the western genre who still exist in this day and age, the slower, more meandering pace and atomised plot might be more acceptable. It may even do this for those with a passing interest, and the result is something at least marginally successful. ***

Once again one of the better Liam Neeson films. The film is entertaining and has a great cast. The simple story, about IRA terrorists who cross paths with Liam Neeson, stands out above all because of the camera. The landscape shots are beautiful. The music is atmospherically good. The film is told in a straight forward manner. No action fireworks, but a quiet and atmospheric thriller. A worthwhile film that is surprisingly different to otherwise tried and tested Liam Neeson films. It's amazing what this little film brings out of its actors in terms of performance. Little jewels in a simple setting.

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'

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.

Apart from the producers 'cramming in' an African musician playing Irish music in 1970's rural Ireland (why do they feel a need to do that?) it was a fairly entertaining film.

Liam Neeson is back in familiar territory with a moody good guy/bad guy persona but I thought the story line was a bit weak. The Irish countryside was the star of the show- magnificent sweeping vistas of the beautiful Donegal coastline. I'm somewhat surprised they found so many sunny days to shoot the film!

The film has snippets of humour and some quite dark parts but it dealt with the violence of the period pretty well.

Liam Neeson has been pumping out so many slightly generic action/revenge thrillers with the regularity of an alarm clock since Taken took off in 2008 that sometimes it's refreshing to see him do... an actual movie lol. In The Land Of Saints & Sinners is admittedly an action/revenge thriller by definition but it's a damn sight more thoughtful and artistic than most he's done lately and reminds us just what a powerful presence he can be with the right material. Here he's Finbar, a hitman in 1970's Northern Ireland who works for a local kingpin (Colm Meaney) whose outfit solely targets bad people. Finbar has vowed to give up killing, until he can't help himself knocking off the relative of a friend of his whose daughter the guy has been molesting. One less scumbag in the world, the only problem being that this particular scumbag is heavily connected to IRA factions that have been skulking in the area and soon his fiery sister (Kerry Condon) comes looking for those responsible with guns blazing. This is a wickedly suspenseful, character driven piece with vicious bursts of violence and terrific passages of philosophical dialogue in between. Neeson hasn't been this good in a while, he isn't simply on tough guy autopilot, he's actually playing *somebody.* Condon is terrifying as the fierce villainess, a monster who lost sight of her cause long ago and despite twisting morality to suit her own bitter agenda, isn't without a humanity herself that emanates through in her performance. Jack Gleeson proves that he's got more that Joffrey Lannister's sickening impudence in his acting stable and provides solid character work as a younger hitman with an unfortunate past who both admires and resents Finbar, while the usually striking Ciaran Hinds is oddly and sadly underused as the ineffective local policeman. This is a fine thriller with a rock solid, emotionally charged Neeson performance, intense antagonist work from Condon and gorgeous Irish scenery, one of the strongest films so far this year.

Watching this film made me feel like I was a kid watching my Mums tv in the early 90's.

A sweet little film with a very simple storyline. Most 80's and 90's films/programmes were all pretty much simple stories. These days, films are always trying to be extravagant all the time with shock factors. I like me that this film felt very easy, fresh and homely. No major effects and fake personalities.

Liam is always great to watch, love his voice and accent. Always plays a wholesome man who tries to do the right thing.

Music was very sweet too throughout. I'm a UK girl but it's lovely having a hearty film to watch.

Also, just saying: Rita should've gone with him.

In the Land of Saints & Sinners(2023) starring Liam Neeson playing in his usual style as an ex-hired killer wanting to lead an honest life, turns himself in, but things go wrong. It begins outside a bar in Belfast. Three IRA members, Dorieann McCann (Kerry Condon), Conor McGrath (Conor MacNeill) and Seamus Mckenna (Seamus O'Hara) are waiting for two men to walk into the bar. Later on, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) and local police captain Vinnie O'Shea (Ciarán Hinds) are shooting cans with Finbars shotgun they are talking about books they are reading. After that, Murphy drives into an isolated forest. Waiting for him is Kevin (Jack Gleeson) a fellow hit man and coworker. But the problems about Ireland independence have come to his town and pull Finbar back into the world of vigilante justice. Haunted by sin !. Hunted by sinners!.

Thrilling and nail-biting movie with noisy action , shootouts , spectacular scenes , fights , violence and amazing finale . From start to finish the fractic action , drama, twists and turns are continuous. In the Land of Saints and Sinners is set in 1974, Ireland during the troubles between the Irish and the British, and director Robert Lorenz (Trouble with the Curve 2012, The Marksman 2021) provided a notable environment from Northern Ireland in the Seventies. Actor Liam Neeson and director Robert Lorenz team up again, after The Marksman (2021), in this bloody thriller with a Western feel set during the Northern Ireland conflict in the 1970s. Starring Neeson who gives a very good performance in his usual style playing a hitman who tries to start a new life away from crime in the small coastal town of Glen Colm Cille, however when a cell of the IRA, the Irish Republican army, arrives in town, he will be forced to carry out one last job, this time personal. Liam Neeson at his best , returning to high-profile roles in 2010 with big-budget films with plenty of action and violence such as : Team A (2010), Unknown (2011), The Grey (2011), Taken I (2008) , Taken 2 (2012) , Taken 3 (2014), Cold Pursuit (2019), Honest Thief (2020) and fiinally The Marksman (2021) . Liam is well accompanied by attractive secondaries , mainly British and Irish. Joining him are some fine actors, such as Kerry Condon (Better Call Saul) as a really bad avenging assassin, Jack Gleason (the unforgettable Geoffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones) in a role as a good criminal detective, Clarán Hinds (Belfast) as a cunning Irish cop, and Colm Meany (Layer cake) as a crime boss, all of whom complement the terrific cast and deliver splendid performances.

The motion picture was well directed by Robert Lorenz. Starting out on the backlot of Roger Corman's B-movie studio in Venice, California, less than a decade later Lorenz found himself working as the right hand to legendary director Clint Eastwood. In 2002, impressed by Lorenz's work ethic and a shared enthusiasm for movie-making, Eastwood asked Lorenz to produce Mystic River, a film that would go on to become a cinema classic. A long, successful producing partnership followed as the two collaborated on over a dozen projects including the Oscar-winning Best Picture Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Invictus, Letters from Iwo Jima, among others. Lorenz earned three Academy Award nominations along the way. Moving into the director's chair in 2012, Lorenz's first feature was the well-received Trouble with the curve, starring Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman. More Eastwood collaborations followed and after the record-breaking, box office success of American Sniper , for which he also directed the second unit, Lorenz made the decision to forego producing films for others and focus instead on his own writing and directing projects. Rating: 6.5/10. The film will appeal to Liam Neeson fans.

The movie mostly shines in capturing the essence of a 70s Ireland by showcasing some vintage cars and presenting beautiful visuals of the Irish countryside. It introduces compelling thematic elements that spark interest but frustratingly remain unexplored throughout the narrative.

Despite its unique and independent storyline, the film's delivery falls short. The story feels a bit shallow and the motives behind the antagonists actions at times seem unclear.

Condon as the villain is the standout performance of the film, and the involvement of Jack Gleeson is intriguing, but largely due to his nearly unrecognizable appearance due to his mustache. The film has a tremendous cast but it doesn't really seem to know what to do with them.

The thick Irish accents occasionally pose a challenge in understanding the dialogue, but it's a refreshing change to witness Neeson embracing his natural accent.

Nonetheless, Liam Neeson, at 71, continues to impress, adding another film to his impressive roster of action movies. Though this one feels much smaller than the rest, it goes without saying that he's showing no signs of slowing down.

Liam Neeson stars as Finbar Murphy, a hitman based in Northern Ireland back in the 1970s. Quite early on in the film, Finbar decides he wants to live a different life now, and grow a garden in the outskirts of his quiet village. He ends up doing one last job of his own which sparks an unintentional war with a small gang of IRA. The film is made very well, with good actors and the pleasant surprise of King Joffrey from Game of Thrones which is the first film I have seen him in. The scene is set very well for a big finale, which in my opinion, delivers quite well. The rating for this film was probably closer to an 8 than a 7 but 7.5 would be around the deserved rating for me. Not sure what more the film could've done, simple but well executed.

'In The Land of Saints and Sinners' is quite good.

Here's the story. A bad guy who has been molesting a young girl is murdered. Unfortunately the bad guy's got a sister who works for the 'evil' Irish Republican Army and she and her fellow terrorists set out to revenge his murder. It is Ireland in the 1970s and vengeance is in the air. But as it happens, the man - Liam Neeson's character - who killed the molester is, himself, a former paid assassin.

So what we've got here is this. Terrorists and assassins at war with each other. And yes, there is a rooting interest. And no surprise, we are rooting for Neeson.

I thought that this was great Neeson: he seems to be one with the culture and with the barren, craggy, wind-swept landscape. A great Jack Gleeson plays another assassin who buddies up with Neeson. And leading the terrorists is Kerry Condon; an evil villainous if ever there was one; a snarl that would scare off an entire army.

In short (1) A fine evening's entertainment (2) Very good but not great and (3) Liam Neeson where he most belongs.

I did find it watchable and Neeson adds to it with his screen presence. Personally, I found the lead female actress very weak and unconvincing. Some lovely scenery! I would say it is a decent film to watch on a rainy night, but it is not one you will remember for very long as apart from Neeson, the acting is very weak and soft. I suppose Neeson has become Ireland's Jason Statham, where you know you will get some decent action and that Neeson saves the world.

This film is a bit too Hollywood in that it doesn't get into any real detail about the reality of the civil war, it skirts around it so it can make the very usual hero v bad guy plot.

After their Belfast bombing goes awry in terrific 1974-based Irish dramatic thriller "In The Land of Saints And Sinners", IRA militant Kerry Condon (excellent again) & crew hide out in the small Donegal hometown of Ciarán Hinds (a quiet cop) and his pal Liam Neeson (a low lying hired killer (with Jack Gleeson (outstanding)) under Colm Meaney). As paths cross, friction flares, violence kicks in, all leading to quite the explosive show-down. While director Robert Lorenz doesn't QUITE do justice to his superb cast (the film's not as dark & weighty as it maybe coulda been), writers Mark Michael McNally & Terry Loane certainly still make it engaging. Eminently watchable fare.

Its nice to see Liam go back to his roots and see him in an irish film, its also one of his better action films of recent. In this he plays finbar a retired hitman that decides to hang his gun up after shooting cans with ciaran hinds. Im also happy ciaran is here another fine actor. After a car bombing near a cafe the culprit finds their way to finbars peaceful village and soon they relise they shouldn;t have because he means buisness and messing with his land is one way to get a tree planted on you. The paceing was good and it was a really enjoyable film especailly the cast which was pretty exceptional all over pretty impressed.

Set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1974, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) is an aging widowed hitman who seeks to leave his work behind. During one of his walks through the village, Finbar comes across Moya (Michelle Gleeson), the daughter of village bartender Sinead (Sarah Greene) and sees several bruises upon her. Walking her home Finbar soon learns Curtis June (Desmond Eastwood), a man claiming to be her uncle, is the one abusing her and takes matters into his own hands and kills him. Curtis' sister Doireann McCann (Kerry Condon), the head of an IRA cell in hiding after a bombing goes wrong, sets about finding her brother putting Finbar on a violent collision course.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is the latest action thriller starring Liam Neeson and features the actor once again in a mid-budget gritty affair as an aging man of violence. Neeson was apparently quite taken with the script as well as the opportunity to work with longtime friend Ciaran Hinds and sees him return to work with Robert Lorenz of The Marksman. While the movie doesn't stray too far from the established Neeson mold, its setting and neo-western framing help to make it a cut above the crop of the recent variety of this kind of movie.

As with The Marksman, Robert Lorenz stages the film like a classic western albeit transferred to the lush green of Ireland's Northern Coast. While Neeson is once again playing a man with a heavy violent past, the movie feels like it's channeling something like Shane to a degree in trying to escape ones past. The best scenes of the movie are in the opening 40 minutes with Neeson interacting with various people in the village with Sarah Green, Ciaran Hinds, Nimah Cusack, and especially Michelle Gleeson giving good performances and there's a sense of melancholy in these scenes where he's getting to know his community free of the burden of his profession. Once we get more into the revenge angle it becomes somewhat more conventional but the IRA cell lead by Kerry Condon's Doireann are well acted and some engaging antagonists for Finbar to face off against. I do however feel the movie is uncertain as to whether its playing as more of a character piece or a more disposable case of revenge wish fulfillment down to an ending that I feel undermines parts of the movie. In terms of movies that are set during this time period it treats it pretty shallow and surface level in comparison to more dramatic works like Belfast or even something that was more aligned with thrillers like the underrated '71.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners has more dramatic weight than it really needed for this kind of movie and while it starts with a lot of promise it opts to go more conventional as it goes along and culminating in an ending that I personally don't feel fits with the earlier thematic framing. I do however mildly recommend the movie as a decent neo-western with a novel setting and a good performance by Neeson.

This is a unique and small, but engaging film. It is an amalgam of a western and a martial arts film set in 1974 Ireland during the height civil unrest surrounding the IRA. The setting of the film, in a remote area if Ireland, where the inhabitants of a small village all know each other and, unwittingly, become the hideout for a group of terrorists whose bomb killed some children. Liam Neeson plays, with great appeal, a hit man with a conscience and soft side, He is really, really good. Kerry Condon is at the top of her game. She is powerful and feisty. Ciaran Hinds, also from HB's Rome, like Condon, is also really good. The characters and actors are strong. I like this film a lot. It is is not perfect, but it is refreshing and memorable. The script, Direction, and cinematography are great. This is good filmmaking.

An engaging, and thankfully not too long Crime film. Starring a back to form Neeson, some trusty old favourites, and a handful of excellent new faces, plus of course some beautifully wild Irish scenery, shot to perfection. The production did a great job of reproducing the 1974 era, fashion, decor, cars and music.

The plot moved along at a steady pace, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. A bit more action would not have been out of place, it is a liam Neeson film after all. Dialogue was believable and fitting to the characters, which were all convincingly portrayed. Though the thick Irish accents were at times difficult to follow, for this viewer anyway, but nothing important was missed.

An enjoyable 1 hour 30 plus, and a solid 7/10. But I was left with the feeling that some judicial rewriting, more intense directing, and a bit more soul, could have made this a 9, and a possible action/drama classic?