I have watched a few movies based on Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe, and I can’t say that any of them dazzled me, even though they were usually played by actors I liked. This version struck me the same way. I really like Liam Neeson and feel that he has elevated a few B quality movies I have seen him in. But either he couldn’t or wasn’t allowed to work similar magic here.
The characters don’t mumble exactly, but the overall effect to me is that they might as well have been. The dialogue isn’t exactly electric and they seem to deliver them rather matter of factly. When Marlow beats up a few guys and says, “I am getting too old for this,” it comes out sounding like the tired cliche it is rather than a heartfelt observation by a jaded private eye.
So I can’t help but label this as a missed opportunity; I mean, it’s Liam Neeson for goodness sake. Write the man some better lines and action sequences.