They do, however, indulge in upgrades when it comes to the supporting cast—most suspicious characters in their own special way. Many are over-qualified for the assignment, similar to the way stage legend Helen Hayes played a little old lady stowaway in 1970's "Airport". Rest assured none will be winning an Oscar like Hayes did for her ride in the sky, but attaching themselves to the coattails of a late-career box-office titan like Neeson is a reward in itself.
Look, there's "Downton Abbey"'s Lady Mary—Michelle Dockery—as the main flight attendant (I kept wishing she would pull a Karen Black and commandeer the cockpit, but there is always the possible sequel). That bald NYPD cop who keeps grousing? Corey Stoll from Netflix's "House of Cards". And isn't that Scoot McNairy of "Argo" as the skinny nervous guy with glasses?
And what about four-time Oscar nominee Julianne Moore as an over-stressed businesswoman who is lucky enough to be seated next to a grimacing Neeson? And, speaking of Academy Awards, current supporting actress nominee Lupita Nyong’o of "12 Years a Slave", who spouts barely five lines on camera in a fetching British accent, is Lady Mary's fellow attendant. There is also a Muslim doctor (racial profiling opportunity, naturally) and a nerdy black computer specialist for added diversity.
The twist, which is revealed in the trailer, is that the terrorist mastermind behind this stunt has figured out a way to manipulate matters so that Neeson's disgruntled marshal appears to be a hijacker holding everyone hostage. It doesn't help that he keeps waving his gun and roughing up the passengers while increasing the ever-present post-9/11 levels of paranoia. In one of several welcome comic-relief moments, as the passengers appear ready to mutiny against their supposed captor, Neeson suddenly offers everyone free international travel for a year on behalf of the airline.
If it saddens anyone that the Oscar-nominated Nazi fighter in "Schindler’s List" is employing his skills as an amateur boxer these days more than his flair for the dramatic to make a living, worry not. Neeson shows he has still got it as the voice of the wee swivel-headed figure known as Bad Cop/Good Cop in "The Lego Movie", a role that allows him to be less plastic than he is in "Non-Stop".
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