The Commuter (film)

The Commuter

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2018 (2018)
Founder	Jaume Collet-Serra (director)
Products	Action thriller film
Parent	StudioCanal, Lionsgate, The Picture Company, Ombra Films

The Commuter is a 2018 action thriller film helmed by director Jaume Collet-Serra, with a screenplay penned by Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi, and Ryan Engle. The cast features Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Florence Pugh, and Sam Neill. The narrative centers on a man who becomes involuntarily entangled in a murder plot during his routine train journey.

The movie debuted in New York City on January 8, 2018, followed by its United States release on January 12 through Lionsgate, and later in the United Kingdom on January 19 via StudioCanal. Produced with a budget of $30 million, it achieved a global box office total of $119 million. Critical reception was mixed; reviewers noted parallels to Neeson and Collet-Serra's previous collaboration, Non-Stop, while commending Neeson’s acting and the film’s appeal within its genre.

Plot

Michael MacCauley, formerly an NYPD officer now employed as an insurance salesman, takes the Hudson Line train daily from Tarrytown to Grand Central Terminal. After unexpectedly losing his job—a blow threatening his family’s financial security—he confides in Murphy, his former partner still active in law enforcement. Onboard, Michael encounters Joanna, who presents a "hypothetical" challenge: locate "Prynne," an unidentified passenger carrying stolen property. She offers an immediate payment of $25,000 and an additional $75,000 upon task completion. Michael discovers the money but soon receives a chilling warning when a teenager hands him an envelope containing his wife’s wedding ring.

Unable to reach his wife, Michael covertly signals the police through fellow traveler Walt. Joanna contacts him by phone, threatening him and disclosing that the train is under surveillance via concealed cameras. After Walt is pushed into traffic and killed by a bus, Michael uncovers a GPS tracker hidden in his jacket intended to be placed on Prynne. He persuades the conductor to authorize random inspections but is assaulted after tailing a suspicious individual. After planting the tracker on this man, Michael learns from Murphy that Prynne is actually a crucial witness connected to the supposed suicide of city official Enrique Mendez—leading Michael to realize he is being framed.

Michael locates the man dead alongside an FBI badge and receives a warning from Joanna for targeting the wrong person. When police halt the train due to another passenger’s complaint, Michael hides with the corpse and forfeits the initial $25,000 payment. He disables the air conditioning system to force passengers into one carriage and confronts Oliver, who had been contracted to eliminate Prynne after Michael identified him. The two engage in combat; Michael kills Oliver by pushing him out of a window.

The true identity of "Prynne" emerges as Sofia, a sixteen-year-old girl possessing evidence implicating influential individuals; she was under protection by the deceased FBI agent. Sofia reveals that Enrique was murdered by corrupt officers within the police department. Joanna commands Michael to kill Sofia to ensure his family’s safety; he refuses. In response, she detonates explosives intending to derail the train, but Michael prevents disaster by detaching the last carriage at a curve—though conductor Sam loses his life.

Authorities mistakenly believe Michael is holding hostages and send Murphy to negotiate. Murphy reveals himself as the corrupt officer responsible for Enrique’s death; during their struggle, Michael removes Murphy’s electronic identification tag, causing police snipers to misidentify Murphy as Michael and fatally shoot him. Sofia provides her evidence to the FBI; Michael is exonerated and offered reinstatement to his former position. He keeps Sofia’s incriminating hard drive.

In a later scene aboard a train headed for Chicago, Michael confronts Joanna, displaying his detective badge as he prepares to arrest her.

Development

In January 2010, Olatunde Osunsanmi was announced as the director for the action-thriller under the banner of Gold Circle Films, with a script penned by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi. By August 2011, reports indicated that Julian Jarrold would assume directing responsibilities. Later, in January 2016, Jaume Collet-Serra secured a deal to direct, marking his fourth project with Neeson, while also serving as an executive producer via Ombra Films alongside Juan Sola. The production was handled by StudioCanal and The Picture Company.

Casting

The lead role was confirmed for Liam Neeson in September 2015. By June 2016, Vera Farmiga was cast in a significant role described as "a mysterious woman" who presents a perilous proposition to Neeson's character. This collaboration marked Farmiga’s second project with Collet-Serra following Orphan. In July 2016, additional principal cast members were announced, including Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, and Jonathan Banks. August 2016 saw the inclusion of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and later that month, Patrick Wilson joined the ensemble, portraying a close confidant of Neeson's character.

Filming

Principal photography commenced on July 25, 2016, at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England, with subsequent shooting taking place in New York City. On September 18, 2016, Neeson and McGovern were observed filming scenes at Worplesdon railway station in Surrey.

Music

In May 2017, it was confirmed that Roque Baños would compose the film’s score. The soundtrack was digitally released by Varèse Sarabande in January 2018, followed by a physical release on February 9, 2018.

All compositions were created by Baños.

Release

In November 2015, Lionsgate acquired U.S. distribution rights from StudioCanal. The initial U.S. release date was set for October 13, 2017, but was postponed to January 12, 2018. Similarly, the UK release by StudioCanal shifted from October 20, 2017, to January 19, 2018, to coincide with the U.S. launch.

Box office

The Commuter earned $36.3 million across the United States and Canada and accumulated $83.6 million internationally, bringing its global total to $119.9 million.

In North America, it premiered alongside Proud Mary, Paddington 2, and an expanded run of The Post, with forecasts predicting $12–14 million from 2,892 theaters. The film generated $4.5 million on its opening day and totaled $13.7 million over the weekend—comparable to prior Neeson-Collet-Serra collaborations—ranking third behind Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Post. Its second weekend box office stood at $6.6 million, reflecting a decline of 51.8%, placing seventh.

Globally, The Commuter launched at number two in Germany with $2.6 million and ultimately grossed $6.7 million there—the largest international market—alongside $5.6 million in the UK, $5.0 million in France, and $2.6 million in Australia.

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds an approval rating based on reviews with an average score of . The critical consensus reads: "The Commuter's cast outshines its routine script, delivering a moderately entertaining Liam Neeson action thriller suitable for matinee viewing or rental." At Metacritic, it earned a score of 56 out of 100 from 44 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audience feedback collected by CinemaScore gave it a "B" grade. Generally, viewers rated the film more favorably than critics did, highlighting strong performances along with engaging mystery and suspense elements.