Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 14+
Guns and violence in well-made but cliche-ridden thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Guns and shooting; characters are shot and killed, sometimes with bloody wounds. Character hung by wrists on a chain. Villain strangles a young woman. Character slices her leg on fence (blood shown). Bloody animal corpses. Character shoots dog (offscreen), followed by dog burial. Bloody, wounded foot. Stabbing. Fighting. Car crash with fire. An 11-year-old boy is briefly taken hostage. Dialogue about main character's wife who died of cancer.
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Language
some
One use of "f--k," and a few uses of "s--t," "ass," "bastard," "goddamn," "damn," "hell," "crap," and "piss."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Main character drinks shots/whiskey in a bar and from a flask. He gets sleepy-drunk in more than one scene, but no other consequences.
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Products & Purchases
very little
Pop Tarts prominently shown in one scene.
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Positive Messages
a little
Raise the question of why, if they follow all the rules, people sometimes still wind up with the short end of the stick. But there's never any question that people should continue to move forward by following rules and trying to do the right thing. Violence has repercussions. Reinforces "White savior" plot cliches.
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Positive Role Models
a little
Jim Hanson is a law-abiding man with a good heart. He barely hesitates before taking on a dangerous good deed. He perhaps resorts to violence a little too quickly, but he pays a price for that. Although some of the movie's immigrant characters are viewed sympathetically, the ones who seem, intended to be perceived as "good" (aside from Miguel) aren't on screen long enough to become well-developed characters. And the villains are total one-note cliches.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Marksman is an action/thriller starring Liam Neeson as a White man who agrees to transport an 11-year-old Mexican immigrant from Arizona to Chicago while pursued by members of a killer cartel. It's well-made, but cliches in the story and the oversimplified representation of characters of color (as well as the White savior elements of the plot) eventually sink it. Expect to see lots of guns and shooting, bloody wounds, stabbing, fighting, and animal corpses. A woman is shot and killed, and another is strangled. A dog is shot and killed offscreen. A boy is briefly in peril, and there's dialogue about a woman dying of cancer. Language is strong but infrequent, with one use of "f--k," plus "s--t," "ass," "hell," etc. The main character drinks in a few scenes and seems to get sleepy-drunk, but there are no other consequences. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
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The Marksman
Parent and Kid Reviews
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- Parents say (4)
- Kids say (1)
age 14+
Based on 4 parent reviews
Chad B. Parent of 13-year-old
February 11, 2021
age 14+
"Woke" reviews by Commonsense media
It's pretty sad that the "wokeness" has now even hit common sense media reviews done by it's staff. I will now stop all donations that I make to your organization. This woke cancel culture needs to end its stupidity. Seriously your review about the "cliche" of a white man savior rescuing people escaping across the border. Can you please explain what is wrong with that? It's quite plausible and why do you think people are lining up to come to America and yeah it's very likely the person on the other side of that fence is a white rancher. Focus on giving good movie reviews and end this cancel culture.
itoldyouso Adult
May 28, 2021
age 15+
Bland.
I stopped watching after the main character "rescued" the kid from the Border Patrol station because his life was in danger. Jim noticed the cartel watching the station and that moment decides to grab the kid, put it in his truck and drive off right in front of them. Wasn't this even riskier for the kid? All these characters feel so cartoonish. This movie is formulaic from the go. It is full of cliches and simpleton takes, like Jim taking a full-body camera shot with a folden USA flag over his shoulder or his excessive use of "¿Comprende?". I can't even comprehend how stellar actors like Liam Neeson agree on being part of this type of project proper of a B-list actor. I love grounded movies based on the story, dialogues, and solid acting but they must be balanced with smart shots and well-thought-out camera angles. I didn't see any of this on the first quarter that I forced myself to watch before I quit driven out by a bland plot, telegraphed acting, and soulless direction.
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See all 4 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In THE MARKSMAN, former U.S. Marine Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson) is now a rancher living on the Arizona border and struggling with paying the bills after his late wife's long illness. He happens upon a young mother, Rosa (Teresa Ruiz), and her 11-year-old son, Miguel (Jacob Perez), crossing the border from Mexico. Rosa begs him not to call the border patrol because she and her son are being pursued by evil cartel leader Maurico (Juan Pablo Raba) in retaliation for Rosa's brother stealing a bagful of money. When Rosa is shot, she asks Jim to take Miguel to live with family in Chicago. Jim reluctantly agrees, over the objections of his step-daughter, Sarah (Katheryn Winnick). But first Jim must keep Miguel, and himself, safe from the villains pursuing them.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (1):
Thanks to Robert Lorenz's smooth, simple direction and Neeson's appealing, sympathetic bond with young Perez, this action-thriller, which is steeped in cliché from top to bottom, very nearly gets by. Lorenz, a producer and/or assistant director on many Clint Eastwood movies, channels his mentor with The Marksman, using unhurried, classical storytelling and treating the creaky old material with care. Neeson's Jim Hanson is shown both with an American flag draped over his shoulder (as the bank tries to take his ranch away) and showing concern for an injured immigrant ... even as he calls border patrol.
Perez is a sweet kid who's positively portrayed, but too little time is spent on other characters of color, and the Mexican villains are crushingly one-note: They're depicted as pure evil with no humanity. Neeson is fine in his low-key role: Hanson is a good man at heart (like Tom Hanks' similar role in News of the World) who just happens to be handy with firearms. The actor's fans will be pleased with the traditional shootout ending, which is presented neatly and without cluttery shaky-cam or choppy editing. But even as The Marksman wraps up, it already starts to fade from memory.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Marksman's violence. Did it feel thrilling or shocking? How much is directed at women? At animals? How does that affect its impact on you?
How are immigrants and/or people of color depicted in the film? Did you notice any stereotypes? How do stereotypes counteract attempts at diverse representation?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences for drinking? Why does that matter?
How did you feel about the main character teaching the 11-year-old boy how to handle a gun?
What's the appeal of Neeson as an action hero? How is he different from other movie action heroes? Do you think his character here can be seen as representing the "White savior" cliche?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 15, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: May 11, 2021
- Cast: Liam Neeson, Katheryn Winnick, Teresa Ruiz
- Director: Robert Lorenz
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Open Road Films
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: violence, some bloody images and brief strong language
- Last updated: August 3, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
The Marksman
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