Skip to content
Wherever I Look Logo

Wherever I Look

  • HomeExpand
    • About Wherever I LookExpand
      • Our Writers
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Cookie & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • HTML Sitemap
  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Character Guide
  • Live Performances
  • Videos
Wherever I Look Logo
Wherever I Look

Home - Movies - The Marksman (2021) – Review/Summary (with Spoilers)

The Marksman (2021) – Review/Summary (with Spoilers)

Despite The Marksman’s name and Liam Neeson starring, it is perhaps one of his least violent, most talkative movies yet.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted onJanuary 14, 2021 9:10 PMJanuary 14, 2021 9:10 PM
Title Card - The Marksman (2021)

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.


Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.


  • Film Summary
    • Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
  • Cast & Characters
    • James
    • Rosa
    • Miguel
    • Sarah
  • Review
    • On The Fence
      • If You Watch Liam Neeson Movies Mainly For The Action, You May Feel There Is Too Much Talking
    • Overall
  • The Marksman Ending (Spoilers)
    • Does The Marksman Have Prequel/ Sequel Potential?

Despite The Marksman’s name and Liam Neeson starring, it is perhaps one of his least violent, most talkative movies yet.


Director(s) Robert Lorenz
Screenplay By Chris Charles, Danny Kravitz, Robert Lorenz
Date Released (Theatrical) 1/14/2021
Genre(s) Action, Adventure, Crime
Duration 1 Hour, 48 Minutes
Rating PG-13
Noted Cast
Jim (James) Liam Neeson
Rosa Teresa Ruiz
Miguel Jacob Perez
Sarah Katheryn Winnick

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text may contain affiliate links, which, if a purchase is made, we’ll earn money or products from the company.

Film Summary

After the death of his wife, Jim lived a quiet life as a rancher. Not one who was making a notable amount of money, hence him about to lose his ranch, but he wasn’t just going to give up without trying. After all, he was in the marines, fought in a war, so a bank taking his last bit of dignity? That wasn’t going to happen.

And if it wasn’t for Rosa and her son Miguel, Jim would have focused on saving his home. However, after catching those two crossing the Mexico/Arizona border, he gets involved in them running from the cartel, and his home becomes the least of his worries. Especially as the cartel comes guns a blazing and kills anyone, men, women, children, you name it, who get in the way of them getting who they came for.

Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

  • Reason(s) for Film Rating: Minor cursing, gunfights, physical fights, drinking, and blood.
  • Jump Scares/ Laughs/ Tear-Jerking Moments: When certain entities die, you might get in your feelings

Cast & Characters

James

Retired from the military, but a rancher to make ends meet, James is struggling. His wife is dead, cattle underweight, his ranch is on the border, so he finds himself having a closer relationship with border patrol, and you can tell things are becoming a bit much. Add in a former drinking problem, and Miguel and Rosa’s introduction into his life may have given him purpose.

Jim (Liam Neeson) in his truck
Jim (Liam Neeson)

Rosa

Thanks to a warning from her brother, Rosa makes her way to her family in Chicago with her son by her side and stolen money in her bag.

Miguel

Rosa’s son would prefer to stay than run, but with the cartel wanting to wipe out their entire family, he has no choice.

Sarah

The daughter of James’ departed wife who seems to have a strained relationship with James. If not the kind of relationship which certainly doesn’t make you believe the two have daddy/daughter dates when she isn’t working for border patrol.

Review

On The Fence

If You Watch Liam Neeson Movies Mainly For The Action, You May Feel There Is Too Much Talking

Unlike October’s Honest Thief, The Marksman seems to want to be slightly more than a throwaway action movie you watch once, maybe twice, and that’s it. It tries to give some meat to Neeson’s role by making him a widow, a veteran, and him finding meaning in his life by helping this kid.

The problem is, Neeson, in combination with Perez, doesn’t push you to get into your feelings and become emotionally invested. If you’re like me, you don’t see Liam Neeson movies to get into your feelings; you come to see a man of a certain age whip ass with the same vigor as people half his age. Which, at times, you get in The Marksman, but not enough. For between Jim trying to bond with Miguel, wondering whether Sarah is Jim’s step-daughter or estranged biological daughter, the shootouts with the cartel seem almost like an afterthought.

Rosa (Teresa Ruiz) and Miguel (Jacob Perez) after crossing the border
Rosa (Teresa Ruiz) and Miguel (Jacob Perez)

And take note, the cartel is brutal. They really do kill someone who looks like a minor and is a woman, have absolutely no issue shooting at Miguel and his mother, and are merciless. Yet, be it that we’ve come to the point of building up a tolerance to Neeson’s movies or this not just giving the action but trying to be deeper than it needs to, something just doesn’t click.

Overall

Rating: Mixed (Divisive)

Hence the mixed label. The Marksman just doesn’t give you the action you expect from a Liam Neeson movie. And while you should appreciate the push to bring his more dramatic acting chops to his action roles, it just isn’t executed well in The Marksman.

[amazon bestseller=”Liam Neeson” items=”2″]

[ninja_tables id=”46802″]

The Marksman Ending (Spoilers)

After Rosa’s death, James makes it to Chicago to drop Miguel with some of Rosa’s family. And on that journey, he kills all four cartel members who chased him and Miguel across the country. But, in the final fight, with the one who killed Rosa, James takes a fatal wound, and after he drops off Miguel, he appears to die on a city bus.

Does The Marksman Have Prequel/ Sequel Potential?

Sequel potential? No, for it appears James died. As for prequel? Well, considering James is talented with a rifle, it could be interesting to see his time in the marines alongside his relationship with his wife. Never mind develop his relationship with Sarah and help us understand what their relationship is.

Robert Lorenz

If You Watch Liam Neeson Movies Mainly For The Action, You May Feel There Is Too Much Talking - 75%

75%

The Marksman just doesn't give you the action you expect from a Liam Neeson movie. And while you should appreciate the push to bring his more dramatic acting chops to his action roles, it just isn't executed well in The Marksman.

User Rating: Be the first one !

Follow/Subscribe To Our External Pages

  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Amazon
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X

Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)

Listed Under Categories: Movies, Mixed (Divisive)

Related Tags: Action, Adventure, Chris Charles, Crime, Danny Kravitz, Jacob Perez, Katheryn Winnick, Liam Neeson, PG-13, Robert Lorenz, Teresa Ruiz

Amari Allah

Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been writing reviews since 2010, with a focus on dramas and comedies.

Facebook Instagram YouTube

Post navigation

Previous Previous
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Season 4 – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)
NextContinue
The Promised Neverland: Season 2/ Episode 2 – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

Site Pages

  • Home
  • About Wherever I Look
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie & Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer & Disclosure Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • HTML Sitemap
  • Our Writers
The Wherever I Look logo featuring a film reel, a video game controller, old school TV set, a stage, and more done by artist Dean Nelson.

The overall goal of Wherever I Look is to fill in that space between the average fan and critic and advise you on what’s worth experiencing.

Category Pages

  • Articles
  • Character Guide
  • Collected Quotes
  • Live Peformances
  • Movies
  • Our Latest Reviews
  • TV Series
  • Video Page
Scroll to top

Wherever I Look logo

Welcome to Wherever I Look, your go-to destination for insightful and personable reviews of the latest TV episodes, movies, and live performances. Also, dive into our character guides and discover what’s truly worth your time.

  • Home
    • About Wherever I Look
      • Our Writers
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Cookie & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • HTML Sitemap
  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Character Guide
  • Live Performances
  • Videos
Search