Hollywood’s reliance on sequels, reboots, spin-offs, and franchise movies, and their constant success at the box office, means that studios are more likely to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a film of that ilk instead of an original action film at a fraction of the cost.
Which is why it is refreshing to see that an action thriller like “The Commuter” was released into cinemas last weekend. The fact that we are celebrating the release of such a film is a depressing reminder of just how rare they are now, though. Something its actor Patrick Wilson has also noticed.
“I have been embedded in horror franchises, and superhero films, and they seem to occupy most of the box office,” Wilson explained. “But it is refreshing and a throwback, and all those words that it’s sad to say, because there should be room for all of these types of movies in the studio system.”
“This type of movie, that’s a sold Hitchockian thrill ride, that doesn’t have a crazy overblown budget, is great to see in Hollywood. Because they just don’t make them anymore,” Wilson continued.
“The Conjuring,” “Insidious,” and “Watchmen” actor then went on to explain exactly why we don’t see that many original action films in the current climate, defending the studios by insisting that there’s not enough bankable action stars to rely on. Liam Neeson being the obvious anomaly.
“It’s hard for them to gamble on that. And to be fair there’s not that many people that can carry it. And you know with someone like Liam you are going to get an incredible skilled actor, with a relatable working man persona, and you like to watch him in situations that he has to fight his way out of.”
Worryingly for Hollywood, though, Liam Neeson recently insisted that he was retiring from action films.
Which means that fans of his particular skillset really need to go and check out “The Commuter,” because once it is gone there’s a good chance another original action film of its ilk won’t be in cinemas for quite a while after.
