Another month, another Liam Neeson action film.

Well, not exactly, but when “The Marksman,” the latest Liam Neeson action movie, opened at No. 1 and stayed there for a second week at the top of an admittedly diminished box office in the time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, I felt it was my cinematic duty to check it out.

Neeson’s “Honest Thief,” another excellent action-thriller, opened at No. 1 in October 2020. “The Marksman” is even better.

“The Marksman” is not only a great Liam Neeson movie, it’s one of the best movies of this year or any year.

Neeson, 68, dubbed “the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) superhero” for his series of persons-in-peril, Liam to-the-rescue, and payback-retribution films, hones it to the bone in what is perhaps his most minimalist performance yet.

Comparisons to the great Clint Eastwood in Neeson’s performance and in his films are inevitable, and deservedly so.

“The Marksman” is directed by Robert Lorenz, a frequent Eastwood collaborator.

Lorenz is a three-time Oscar nominee: best picture, “American Sniper,” 2014; “Letters From Iwo Jima,” 2006; “Mystic River,” 2003, each of which Eastwood produced and directed. Lorenz made his directorial debut with “The Trouble With The Curve,” 2012, which starred Eastwood. Lorenz was a producer and second unit or assistant director on numerous Eastwood-directed films.

Lorenz is not only arguably taking on the mantle of film-maker Eastwood, he’s furthering the taut thriller genre that Eastwood exemplifies.

Lorenz directs from a screenplay he cowrote with Chris Charles and Danny Kravitz (in their theatrical feature screenplay debut).

“The Markman” niftily hints at the Eastwood connection with a scene of Eastwood and Inger Stevens in “Hang ‘Em High” (1968) that Jim Hanson (Neeson) and Miguel (Joe Perez) are watching on TV in a motel where they are staying as they are chased by leaders of a Mexican drug cartel.

The road-trip pairing of the elder Neeson and the young boy Perez recalls the pairing of the grandfatherly Tom Hanks (Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd) and the young girl Johanna (Helena Zengel) in “News Of The World.” And, similarly, Neeson and Perez share several fine scenes.

Criticisms aimed at “The Marksman” for being formulaic miss the, ahem, mark. It’s like criticizing water for its taste. “The Marksman” is a terrific film precisely because renders the formula so well.

Moreover, the screenplay couldn’t be more relevant to United States-Mexico border-wall politics. Miguel and his mother are caught, literally, on the fence. This is an up-close and personal view of one of America’s most critical problems.

Furthermore, the screenplay blows stereotypes right and left, in Neeson’s Arizona cattle rancher, in the young Mexican boy Miguel (he likes Pop-Tarts right from the wrapper and Gummy Bears as does any pre-teen) and in the drug- and human-trafficking mules.

The cartel coyotes are not gun-toting ignorant peasants. They are sophisticated criminals, using computer technology to track Hanson’s whereabouts via his credit card purchases in real time. The chase is on for more than kicks on Rt. 66.

The cinematography by director of photography Mark Patten is often of breathtaking western vistas with superb editing by Luis Carballar, spiced with startling action sequences.

Neeson (Oscar nominee, actor, “Schindler’s List,” 1993) is still doing his best work. In “The Marksman,” Neeson imbues wordless scenes and the minimalist dialogue with a Shakespearean bearing. Hanson is a widower, a loner, a man who feels abandoned by faith.

But mainly Hanson is a Marine (there are no ex-Marines) and an expert marksman, hence the film’s title. Neeson hits all the right emotions. There’s not a false move in his economical performance.

Perez is totally believable in a breakout performance in his feature film debut as the young boy, Miguel.

Katheryn Winnick (TV’s “Vikings,” 2013-2020; TV’s “The Dark Tower,” 2017) turns in a fine performance as Sarah, Hanson’s daughter, who is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer.

Teresa Ruiz is memorable as Miguel’s mother.

Juan Pablo Raba is absolutely terrifying as Mauricio, the cartel kingpin who reveals a surprising vulnerability.

“The Marksman” should be in your movie sights. And don’t sell Liam Neeson short. He is the new millennium’s new action hero.

The next time Neeson’s in an action movie role, I’ll be the first in line.

“The Marksman” is on target. Don’t miss it.

“The Marksman,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for violence, some bloody images and brief strong language; Genre: Action, Thriller; Run Time: 1 hr., 48 min. Distributed by Open Road Entertainment.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“The Marksman” was filmed on location in New Mexico and Ohio.

At the Movies:

I intended to see “The Marksman” in regular format, but through a slip of the fingers on the computer keyboard, I purchased a ticket for the film in the Dolby Cinema at AMC Center Valley 16, The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, Upper Saucon Township. The screen is huge. The seats, which recline, are wide black leather. The sound is phenomenal. It’s worth the premium price. Online ticketing, face-mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizer use per CDC guidelines is in effect.

Movie Box Office,

Feb, 5-7: “The Little Things,” starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, continued at No. 1, two weeks in a row, with $2.1 million, 2,206 screens, $7.8 million, two weeks.

2. “The Croods: A New Age” stayed in place, $1.7 million, on 1,935 screens, $46 million, 11 weeks. 3. “The Marksman” dropped one place, $1 million, on 2,018 screens, $9.1 million, four weeks. 4. “Wonder Woman 1984” stayed in place, $905,000, screens number not disclosed, $40.3 million, seven weeks. 5. “Monster Hunter” stayed in place, $585,000, on 1,515 screens; $11.8 million, eight weeks. 6. “News Of The World” stayed in place, $400,000, on 1,537 screens; $10.8 million, seven weeks. 7. “Promising Young Woman” stayed in place, $219,000, on 1,056 screens; $4.6 million, seven weeks. 8. Fatale” stayed in place, $170,000, on 1,022 screens; $5.8 million, eight weeks. 9. “The War With Grandpa,” starring Allentown’s Oakes Fegley, stayed in place, $167,333, on 530 screens; $19.8 million, 18 weeks. 10. “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” $166,000, on 150 screens, one week, 2020 re-release. 13 “Come Play,” starring Allentown’s Winslow Fegley, dropped one place, $80,000, on 164 screens, $10.1 million, 15 weeks

Box office statistics from Box Office Mojo are updated after the Focus section deadline.

Unreel,

Feb. 12

“Land,”

PG-13: Robin Wright directs herself and Demian Bichir in the Drama. A grieving woman decides to live alone in a cabin in Wyoming.

“Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,”

PG-13: Josh Greenbaum directs Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Jamie Dornan and Damon Wayans Jr. in the Comedy. Lifelong friends leave their Midwestern town for the first time.

“French Exit,”

R: Azazel Jacobs directs Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges, Tracy Letts, Valerie Mahaffey and Imogen Poots in the Romance Drama. A Manhattan socialite moves to Paris.

“Breaking News in Yuba County,”

R: Tate Taylor directs Mila Kunis, Awkwafina, Allison Janney, Juliette Lewis, Ellen Barkin, Jimmi Simpson, Chris Lowell, Matthew Modine, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes in the Comedy, Crime, Drama. A suburban wife becomes a local celebrity when she searches for her missing husband.

“Fear of Rain,”

PG-13: Castille Landon directs Katherine Heigl, Harry Connick Jr. , Madison Iseman and Israel Broussard in the Drama, Horror, Thriller. A girl suspects her neighbor has kidnapped a child.

“Judas and the Black Messiah,

” R: Shaka King directs Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Sheen and LaKeith Stanfield in the Biography, Drama, History. Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, is profiled.

“Minari,”

PG-13: Lee Isaac Chung directs Yeri Han, Steven Yeun, Darryl Cox, Will Patton and Youn Yuh-jung in the Drama. A Korean family has a farm in Arkansas during the 1980s.

Movie opening information is from Internet Movie Database.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes