All through this latest action-thriller, a classic line of movie dialogue bounced around my brain. From GODFATHER III, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (say it with me): “Just when I thought I was out, they pull (gotta’ do the hands) me back in!”. With this flick, the line relates to its star, Liam Neeson. Appearing in last year’s “reboot/re-imagining” THE NAKED GUN, he seemed to be bidding adieu to his string of action- “certain skills” roles that began mainly with TAKEN. And he “was-a” churnin’ ’em out to the point that he looked a bit uninterested or at least distracted. So, Frank Drebin, Jr. was his version of “going out” with a self-mocking chuckle. Not so fast. Well, this time it’s “go very fast. ” He’s back in full “action-hero” mode, though mainly behind the wheel as the man known as THE MONGOOSE.

We meet ex-Special Forces Green Beret Ryan Flanagan (Neeson) near the start of a pretty trying day. He’s “burning rubber” in a slick red Ford Mustang Shelby Super Snake (syncs up with the title) GT350, trying to evade countless Arkansas Highway Patrol cars. The helicopters above him trigger a flashback to his combat days in Afghanistan twenty years ago. He’s part of a quartet of brothers in a chopper soaring through the mountains as they look for the enemy. Well, the s#t “goes down,” as does their ride when it’s struck by an RPG. Soon, the battered men are captured and taken to the enemy camp. Ryan (who likes to be called “Fang”) is then jolted back to his current problems. Those flashbacks helped to end his marriage to Tara (Marisa Tomei), who’s now dating a guy named Todd in Kentucky. Up until a couple of days ago. She called Fang from a hospital after being roughed up by him. Tara begs him not to retaliate. Instead, she asks him to sneak into Todd’s mansion (he’s at work) and grab her stuff. Fang agrees, but as he’s trying to coax the pet cat, you-know-who shows up. Things get ugly, a weapon is drawn, and now Fang is wanted for a homicide and for taking Todd’s “sweet ride”. When the chase crosses into Texas, Fang becomes the “number one priority” to hard-case lawman Major Walter Pope (Michael Chiklis). As he bears down, the media contacts Fang on his car’s phone. Soon he’s a rebel hero with fans helping him out. While still dealing with PTSD as he plots a course to the border. Even with the help of new and old friends, can he elude the Major and enjoy some “authentic” margaritas?

It does appear that Neeson is more engaged here, perhaps because he’s not involved in lots of gunplay or “hand-to-hand” scuffles (other than what gets him on the run). I’ve read that he’s somewhat of a “gearhead”, so that may explain it. We do get to see him out of the driver’s seat in the wartime flashbacks, which allow some flexing of his dramatic skills, in addition to the end of his marriage. Neeson also tries to sneak in some humor, but these clunky exchanges are tough to overcome. The forever “May Parker”, Ms. Tomei is criminally underused here since Tara is either an irritant or a victim or a “cheerleader” (a very sympathetic ex). Her role is fairly undefined and is reduced to staring at a TV screen or shouting into a phone for most of the third act. We do get some unbridled scenery-chewing from the ever-sneering Chiklis as Pope, a really humorless and sadistic spin on Buford T. Justice, flaring his nostrils and barking commands at his underlings. He’s trying to “sell” these static sequences, but they come off as cartoony villain “set-ups”. As his most prominent “soldier bro”, Ving Rhames has the proper warmth and gravitas, but he’s often set up as the explainer or faithful sidekick.

So, this is the feature film directing debut for stunt coordinator Mark Vanselow, who does make the most of the many action set pieces. Still, the end result often feels like a FAST AND THE FURIOUS lower-budgeted riff, while also harkening back to those 70s drive-in car classics like DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY, VANISHING POINT, and the “OG” GONE IN 60 SECONDS. Perhaps it may have worked better as a straight homage to those, but the script also takes on a war subplot that mixes recent films like SOLE SURVIVOR with a twist of THE DEER HUNTER (which tells us how Fang is also the Mongoose). Plus, there’s Fang’s “fanbase” echoing THE LEGEND OF BILLIE JEAN and THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS. And there’s a running commentary from a real-life TV reporter that feels forced, as it appears that CNN just turns things over to “Fang on the run”. Australia proves to be a pretty good “stand-in” for the southern US, despite an off-kilter gas station. Plus it’s refreshing to see an action-adventure that’s more “grounded” rather than the increasingly overblown, gravity-ignoring F&F series (another one is coming…ugh). Basically, this is a turbo-charged “B” flick with much better actors than the script deserves. So, if you really have the “need for speed”, and some “Liam Neesons” then the churning wheels and spinouts, then THE MONGOOSE may be your kind of “I can’t drive 55” animal.

2 out of 4

THE MONGOOSE is now playing in select theatres