Retribution’s conceit slyly justifies hiding Liam Neeson’s aging body while still allowing him to exist convincingly in his usual action-thriller genre.

In his recent outings of carnage, the visible creakiness of his bones stretches disbelief beyond a reasonable suspension, at least when it comes to the physical feats the genre demands.

Though they’re young bucks in comparison, his fellow action stars have also dabbled in this game of late: Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, and Nic Cage in Sympathy for the Devil, to name but two.

As much as an original premise could fit this bill as comfortably as IP fare … can you say Keanu in Speed 3? Jason Statham in another Transporter or Italian Job??

This concept feels like a throwback to when geriatric cowboys like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood needed only to saddle their rickety joints atop a horse to light the action box-office aflame.