Film Review: 'Non-stop' is an highly addictive drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat

Non-Stop
Cast: Anson Mount, Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Lupita Nyong'o
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Rating: ***1/2 

What's it about 

As the title promises Non-Stop offers an uninterrupted rush of adrenaline in this highjacking thriller where the plot changes every 15 minutes. 

It is tight, gripping and a lot of fun! There is something exciting about films set on a passenger flight (Snakes on a Plane, Red Eye, Flightplan) where watching the drama unfold 50,000 feet up in the sky is quite engaging. 

Liam Neeson plays an air marshal who gets a text from an unknown person aboard the plane saying he will kill one passenger every 20 minutes if 150 million dollars aren't deposited into his account. 

What follows are a series of mind boggling events and revelations that will keep you on the edge of your seat! 

What's hot

The best part about the film is its pace. Also the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously works. 

It isn't trying to be a serious whodunnit or intellectually rewarding experience. Non-Stop is the kind of film you will enjoy with your popcorn and soda! 

The cast is an eclectic mix of known (Neeson, Julianne Moore, Lupita Nyong'o) and unknown (Corey Stoll, Scoot McNairy) faces.

Playing the lead role of the marshal, Neeson gives us all the high tension moments the character requires. His scenes with Moore and the rest of the cast make for some of the best parts of the film. 

Collet-Sera doesn't let the tempo and pace of the story slacken even in the second part. Emphasis is on keeping you guessing about not just the hijacker, but the intention of every single passenger on the plane. 

What's not 

Neeson's character despite its appeal is also heavily flawed. The giveaways of being a marshal/agent are too obvious in the first half. 

Despite the drama and unpredictability, the action scenes that are core to the story are badly handled. 

Camera work is average and being crammed in a flight some times makes it difficult to watch what's happening in the backdrop in a tight frame. 

When the time comes to tie up the loose ends as the climax approaches, we sense the director hitting the panic button! There is an urgency to quickly explain everything in a matter of a few minutes. 

What to do 
Despite its flaws, Non-Stop is highly addictive and will keep you guessing who's the bad guy right till the end!