The 106-Minute 83% Liam Neeson Thriller Everyone Forgot Is Dominating On Netflix
Liam Neeson's most forgotten film from recent years is making a streaming comeback.
Neeson's work is wide-ranging, spanning both heartwrenching dramatic roles such as Schindler's List and over-the-top thrillers like the Taken films. In recent years, Neeson has been primarily taking up roles in this latter category, even if they may be more mature characters than his parts of yesteryear. Recent Neeson films have included Absolution, Ice Road: Vengeance, and The Naked Gun.
Now, one of Neeson's most overlooked thrillers is succeeding on streaming. In the Land of Saints and Sinners is currently no. 3 on Netflix for trending films in the United States. It is topped only by the survivor thriller The Last House and the dog adventure movie Arthur the King.
Originally released in 2023, In the Land of Saints and Sinners is a contemporary Western thriller film about aging hitman Finbar Murphy who comes out of retirement for a job involving an IRA bomber in his small Irish village. The film is set during the height of The Troubles, situated in 1974. In addition to Neeson, it also stars Kerry Condon, Conor MacNeill, and Seamus O'Hara.
The reviews of In the Land of Saints and Sinners were actually fairly positive upon its release. The film has an 83% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes with 80 critics having reviewed it. ScreenRant's Ferdosa Abdi praised the film's performances, while calling the movie "uneven" overall.
Despite its positive reviews and star-studded cast, In the Land of Saints and Sinners made virtually no money at the box office. Its North America release came in March 2024, and it made only $2.2 million domestically. This was supplemented by minor totals abroad, giving it a $3.6 million total worldwide gross.
This small showing makes it somewhat peculiar that In the Land of Saints and Sinners would pop up as a hit many years later. The film did just come to Netfilx on August 6, so part of its popularity may come from its status as a new acquisition. Its staying power on the top 10 list will be the determining factor of its ultimate streaming success.
That said, Neeson is also a beloved star, so its possible that audiences are also staying for him and the quality of this film. In the Land of Saints and Sinners is, in fact, the Irishman action star Neeson acting in an Ireland-based action film, so in many ways it in right in his sweet spot. As it continues to trend, In the Land of Saints and Sinners is a good film to check out for those that have yet to see it.