The Marksman (2021 film)

The Marksman

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2021
Founder	Robert Lorenz (director)
Products	Action drama film

The Marksman is a 2021 American action drama film directed by Robert Lorenz. The narrative follows a rancher and ex-Marine (Liam Neeson) residing in an Arizona border town who aids a young boy (Jacob Perez) in escaping a Mexican drug cartel. The ensemble cast also features Katheryn Winnick, Juan Pablo Raba, and Teresa Ruiz.

The movie was produced by Raven Capital Management, Sculptor Media, Zero Gravity Management, and Voltage Pictures. It debuted in the United States on January 15, 2021, distributed by Open Road Films and Briarcliff Entertainment. With a production budget ranging from $23 to $30 million, it earned roughly $23.9 million at the box office. Reviews were mixed, with praise directed toward Neeson's acting while critics pointed out the film’s conventional storyline.

Plot

Jim Hanson, a widower and former US Marine Corps Scout Sniper with Vietnam War experience, resides near the Arizona-Mexico border and struggles to keep up with his ranch payments. He notifies the Border Patrol—where his step-daughter Sarah works—about illegal crossings. Hanson encounters Rosa and her son Miguel, who are Mexican nationals fleeing from the Mexican Mafia. In a confrontation with Mauricio’s cartel gang, Hanson kills Mauricio’s brother; however, Rosa sustains fatal injuries. Before she dies, Rosa entrusts Hanson with Miguel and a bag of money, requesting him to deliver Miguel safely to relatives in Chicago.

Miguel is initially taken into custody by Border Patrol, but Hanson intervenes after recognizing a cartel member disguised as family. Corrupt officers, bribed by the cartel, facilitate their entry into the United States to pursue Miguel. After fixing his truck using his credit card, Hanson is followed to Route 66 in Oklahoma. A dishonest patrol officer attempts to turn Miguel over but is thwarted by Hanson; subsequently, the cartel eliminates the officer.

As they continue northward, Hanson pays off a motel clerk to avoid registration before the cartel arrives. During their flight, Hanson's dog Jackson is killed by cartel members. Their vehicle breaks down, forcing them to stop where Mauricio captures Miguel following a shootout that results in three cartel deaths and Hanson being stabbed but managing to injure Mauricio. Hanson confronts Mauricio with the option of mercy or death; a gunshot is heard as Hanson and Miguel depart.

Upon reaching Miguel’s family in Chicago, Hanson leaves quietly. The film concludes with Hanson, gravely wounded, boarding a bus and reflecting peacefully on his late wife before passing away.

Cast

• Liam Neeson as Jim Hanson, ex-U.S. Marines sniper and Vietnam War veteran
• Katheryn Winnick as Sarah Pennington, Border Patrol agent and Hanson's step-daughter
• Juan Pablo Raba as Mauricio, violent enforcer for the Vasquez Cartel
• Teresa Ruiz as Rosa, mother fleeing from the cartel
• Jacob Perez as Miguel, Rosa's son escaping cartel pursuit
• Dylan Kenan as Randall
• Luke Rains as Everett
• Sean Rosales as Hernando
• Alfredo Quiroz as Carlos
• Amber Midthunder as Gas Station Clerk

Production

Initially named The Minuteman, the film was announced in May 2019 with Liam Neeson attached.<ref> By September 2019, Katheryn Winnick and Juan Pablo Raba had joined the cast.<ref> Principal photography was conducted in Ohio—covering Lorain County, Portage County, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Chardon—as well as locations in New Mexico. Filming concluded in October 2019.<ref>

Release

The Marksman was originally slated for a U.S. theatrical debut on January 22, 2021, but the release date was advanced to January 15.

Box office

The movie generated $15.6 million domestically in the U.S. and Canada, alongside $8.3 million from international markets, culminating in a global total of $23.9 million.

During the four-day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, it brought in $3.7 million, marking Open Road/Neeson's second film to lead the box office amid the COVID-19 pandemic following Honest Thief. The strongest audience turnout occurred in the Southern United States, composed of 57% male viewers and 72% aged over 25. In its second weekend, it retained the top spot with $2.03 million, before slipping to third place in its third weekend with earnings of $1.2 million.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Marksman holds a 39% approval rating from 108 critics, averaging a score of 5.3/10; reviewers acknowledged Liam Neeson's involvement but labeled it a conventional thriller. Metacritic assigned it a score of 44 out of 100 based on 22 critics, reflecting mixed or average assessments. Audience feedback via PostTrak indicated a 73% positive rating, with 46% indicating they would definitely recommend the film.

Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times characterized the film as "predictable" yet buoyed by Neeson's compelling presence. Michael O'Sullivan from The Washington Post awarded it two out of four stars, describing it as "comfort food: satisfyingly familiar but loaded with starch and lacking substance."

Owen Gleiberman from Variety critiqued the screenplay as insufficiently developed despite well-executed action sequences. David Ehrlich of IndieWire rated it a C−, likening its mood to that of a late-career Clint Eastwood picture focused on cynicism and distrust toward governmental institutions.