In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023)

This film by Robert Lorenz presents the classic vigilante story, but with a more complex context than usual.

Set in Ireland in the 1970s, the plot revolves around the IRA and a small town that is home to several well-developed characters.

Liam Neeson has had a prolific career, excelling in memorable roles, yet in the last decade he has repeatedly played the same type of character: a vigilante capable of taking on armies of criminals single-handedly.

‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners takes this tired formula and gives it an interesting twist. The story is set in a small town in the north of Ireland during the 1970s, where a group of IRA members, led by Doireann (Kerry Condon), seek refuge after a failed attack in a Belfast pub.

This town, however, is also home to a mafia organisation, with Finbar (Liam Neeson) as one of its hired killers.

Finbar works under the orders of kingpin Robert (Colm Meaney), alongside young Kevin (Jack Gleeson).

The film also introduces other characters in the town in detail. The local constable, Vincent (Ciarán Hinds), is a good friend of Finbar's, though he is unaware of his true occupation. Finbar claims to be a book dealer, which leads to quaint dialogue about authors such as Dostoyevsky and Agatha Christie.

Although In the Land of Saints and Sinners is an action film with Liam Neeson in a typical role, the surrounding environment is more elaborate than at other times. Another prominent character is Rita (Niamh Cusack), a widow who shares chats with Finbar, creating a platonic relationship that offers the protagonist the possibility of a different future from his life as a hitman.

Although In the Land of Saints and Sinners interestingly develops these edges, what should be the core of the story becomes mechanical and predictable.

The lone vigilante genre is on the rise, thanks to films like ‘John Wick’ and ‘Nobody’ (2021). In this film sub-genre, Liam Neeson has become a trademark, repeating formulas with some effectiveness.

‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners attempts to take this logic to another level, but falls somewhere between the depth of a small-town drama, a story of political intrigue involving the IRA and a typical action movie starring Neeson.