The Commuter
“The Commuter uses female characters as nothing more than plot accessories.”
Title: The Commuter (2018)
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra 👨🏼🇪🇸🇺🇸
Writers: Screenplay by Byron Willinger 👨🇺🇸, Philip de Blasi 👨🇺🇸, and Ryan Engle 👨🏼🇺🇸
Reviewed by Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton 👩🏾🇺🇸
Note: This review was commissioned by Lionsgate. The content and methodology remain 100% independent and in line with Mediaversity's non-commissioned reviews.
—SPOILERS AHEAD—
Technical: 3.5/5
An action film starring Liam Neeson comes with certain expectations. Since his mid-career role in Taken (2008), he often plays the tough, older, rebellious action hero who fights for the underdog. Continuing the trend, The Commuter typecasts Neeson as Michael MacCauley, a retired police officer who has his daily commute on the train interrupted by a threat against his family. This time, in order to right the world, MacCauley must find and save an innocent witness named Prynne (Ella Rae Smith) from being killed by a multi-agency conspiracy—all before reaching the last stop on the train.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra doesn’t veer far from the path he established with Neeson in their previous films Non-Stop (2014) and Run All Night (2015). The high-stakes moments hinge upon MacCauley’s willingness to bet it all on his savvy and ability to outwit Joanna (Vera Farmiga), a mysterious woman who offers him $100K in exchange for completing a task: finding Prynne and tagging her bag with a tracker.
The fight scenes highlight MacCauley’s ability to best any opponent, although Serra doesn’t reinvent the wheel, thanks to a limited set. We get every expected shot for a movie that takes place on a train, albeit missing the iconic entering-a-tunnel trope. Serra’s use of suspense and surprise create a whodunnit for MacCauley (and the audience), as he identifies and rescues Prynne from danger.
Overall, The Commuter is predictable but will likely satisfy lovers of the genre. It combines hard-hitting fight scenes with breathtaking decisions and develops MacCauley into a deep and complex character, albeit at the cost of any other character development.
Gender: 2/5
Does it pass the Bechdel Test? NOPE
The Commuter uses female characters as nothing more than plot accessories who demonstrate MacCauley’s courage. From Prynne and Joanna, to MacCauley’s wife and even a small cameo appearance by Black Panther’s Leticia Wright, the women in this film only exist to give MacCauley someone to save or defy.
Its best bet at a strong female lead falls on the shoulders of Joanna, the criminal mastermind that we later learn is only bowing to commands from her unseen bosses. Joanna keeps MacCauley committed to finding Prynne by remotely killing anyone he tries to tell about his situation, sending McCauley his wife’s wedding ring as the ultimate threat. Yet the audience learns little of Joanna, and sees even less.
Meanwhile, Prynne exemplifies the traditional role of damsel in distress. Her small frame, tailored clothing and heels, and role as a domestic worker offer no challenges to the societal expectations of women. Furthermore, her desire and ability to stay alive seem to rest out of her hands as she follows the prescribed orders of MacCauley, quickly trusting him despite his erratic and dangerous behavior.
Additional female passengers occupy space only as deterrents from finding the real Prynne. One woman admits to fleeing a fight with her boyfriend by riding the train, demonstrating—once again—that the only need for a female voice in this film is to be defined by the men around it.
Race: 3.5/5
While The Commuter misses the mark in gender representation, it does its best to make up for it with racial diversity. From the Latinx character of Prynne to the Black FBI agents who seek to keep her safe, to the victim Enrique (played by Spanish actor Jaime Menéndez) who spurs a deeper conversation around government cover-ups, The Commuter does a marvelous job of offering characters from various class and racial backgrounds.
Even the passengers on the train offer additional moments for us to see various segments of life. An Asian American female finds camaraderie as one of the day riders familiar to MacCauley on his route, offering him quick banter between moments of investigation. Another character of color with some melanin is poised to serve as a contrast to the traditional white male stockbroker type we often see in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). He appears in the staunch business suit with the executive combover; however, his repulsive penchant for belittling other characters doesn’t move the needle much on how well he’s rendered.
All in all, the racial diversity in The Commuter wants to offer a fresh take on showing various cultural representations without feeling stereotyped. However, they remain flat and underdeveloped in contrast to the hero, MacCauley.
Mediaversity Grade: C 3.00/5
The Commuter delivers thrilling, action-packed moments wrapped in a predictable storyline where women play the victim. Despite being a satisfying ride and making a strong effort towards onscreen racial diversity, it fails to do more than reassert the stereotype that women exist to give purpose to the male ego.