It has been a rough few years to be a fan of Liam Neeson, as the Academy Award-nominated Irish actor has consciously taken on projects that are beneath him. Although there was an era where Neeson’s performances in classics like Schindler’s List and Michael Collins made him one of the most acclaimed dramatic actors of his generation, it seems like in the aftermath of Taken, he has done almost nothing but action movies. While Neeson certainly has the physical likeness and intensity needed to be a great action star, many of the films that he has starred in are utterly forgettable and largely indistinguishable from one another. However, Neeson gave one of his best performances in years in the underrated gangster thriller In the Land of Saints and Sinners, which explored a complex period in Irish history and questioned the profound damage of seeking revenge.

What Is ‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners’ About?

In the Land of Saints and Sinners features Neeson as the aging contract killer Finbar Murphy, who has worked for the local gangster Robert McQue (Colm Meaney) ever since he returned from service in World War II to discover that his wife had died. After taking out a target alongside his young protégé Kevin (Jack Gleeson), Finbar is encouraged to make something out of the rest of his life and decides to set his violent ways behind him. Unfortunately, he is not able to escape the chaos that surrounds him due to the fragile political situation in Donegal; the film takes place in 1974, where the troubles have resulted in an intense conflict between British troops and the volatile Irish Republican Army. Although Finbar decides to commit a good deed by protecting the bartender Sinead (Sarah Greene) and her young daughter, Moya (Michelle Gleeson), he is forced to use his lethal skills to fend off the gangsters that seek to take control of the situation.

The historical context of In the Saints of Sinners helps plant it in reality, as the notion of a legendary assassin trying to assimilate back into society does not feel superficial. The film actually offers a fairly compelling explanation as to why exactly Finbar fell into his line of work; he had become so depressed in the aftermath of his service that he became an alcoholic and was saved from further torment when Robert offered him employment. The relationships that Finbar has with his fellow criminals are more complex than what one may have expected based on Neeson’s previous revenge films. Although Finbar is deeply fearful of Robert’s wrath, he also does feel a tinge of loyalty towards the man who gave him a second chance. Similarly, Finbar is both terrified and sympathetic towards Kevin; although the young man’s aptitude for cruelty is at times quite shocking, Finbar does see a lot of himself in a complex loner who feels that violence is the only way to solve his issues.

‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners’ Is ‘Unforgiven’ for Liam Neeson​​​​​​

In the Land of Saints and Sinners allows Neeson to reflect on his entire career in the same way that Unforgiven served as a summation of Clint Eastwood’s various characters. Both films are centered on an aging gunslinger who seeks redemption but discovers that they have become too tinged with sin to ever make up for the crimes that they have committed. While the screenplay for In the Land of Saints and Sinners by Mark Michael McNally and Terry Loane is already terrific, the character of Finbar is made even more interesting because of how he compares to the other anti-heroes that Neeson has played in various revenge films over the course of his career.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is uncompromisingly bleak and manages to examine the complexity of a difficult period in history; while the film does not definitively take a stance on whether the IRA’s intentions were noble, it does suggest that the period of political tension resulted in needless violence, with many innocent lives lost. It’s a nuanced, affecting, and surprisingly thought-provoking story of relapses and resurgences, and exactly the type of high-quality genre film that Neeson should be making more often.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.

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