Blacklight is a run of the mill action-thriller, with Liam Neeson at the helm. It doesn’t do much of anything new, but tries to be “modern” and “cool”. While it fails at both fronts, Blacklight is a movie that still has some positives. Some action scenes are pretty entertaining and the story of a journalist chasing a story makes Blacklight come across more like a thriller than an action film. While that’s equal parts good and bad, it’s different. Nevertheless, it’s an action film with a handful of decent characters, and I’m here to list them. While it’s slim pickens, I give to you the 5 best characters in Blacklight!
5. Robinson
Played by Aidan Quinn
Robinson is the classic action movie villain, who’s kind of a snake with power, but with a very boring personality, who you just can’t wait to see get his ass handed to him!
While the character’s motivation makes sense, trying to keep the peace by “silencing” people who are deemed a “threat to democracy”, his own convictions in doing so are very basic and honestly not that convincing. In turn, Robinson ends up being rather straight-forwards. He’s not interesting, because his motivations are lackluster. He’s not special, because he’s just an insane individual abusing his power. So when I think about it, Robinson is very forgettable.
Aidan Quinn does a respectable job in this role,but his best moments come when sharing the screen with Liam Neeson. In these scenes, we truly see Robinson get elevated, and it’s clear that Aidan ups his game when face-to-face with Liam Neeson. If only he would’ve kept that same standard the entire movie, he would’ve been higher on my list. But that’s not the case.
4. Natalie Block
Played by Gabriella Sengos
Natalie is the grandchild of Travis Block (Liam Neeson), and the reason our lead character is trying to change his ways. In fact, he desperately wants to be more involved in her daughter, and his granddaughter’s, life. It’s what drives Travis Block to fight as hard as he does. In other words, Natalie is the catalyst to make Travis a better man, and she does so beautifully.
In all honesty, Natalie is a pretty well-written character, all things considered. What makes her good is the way she takes after her grandfather, even developing symtoms of OCD at a young age. Whether it’s checking on something numerous times or even thinking that she’s seeing strangers looking at them, Natalie’s role in the story is actually interesting. It’s far better than what Amanda brings to the table, and that’s saying something.
🥉 Mira Jones
Played by Emmy Raver-Lampman
Mira is the young journalist searching for a story, and when Dusty runs her way, she gets more than she bargained for. In a matter of minutes, she’s entangled in a crazy FBI conspiracy, and is tied together with Travis Block in order to reveal the truth.
While she isn’t necessarily a special character, Mira does have a vital role in the story. After all, her journalistic work helped find proof and convict Robinson. In the grand scheme of things, Mira is an interesting character, whose intentions are crystal clear; she’s looking for the truth. While she gets a story out of it and climbs a few ranks, it doesn’t take away from her genuine nature and good-hearted worldview. In turn, she’s very easy to like and her role in the story is something I was sceptical about, but ended up really liking.
There are many decent characters in Blacklight, but I’d say that Mira, Dusty and Travis are the ones who stick out above the rest.
🥈 Dusty Crane
Played by Taylor John Smith
Taylor, let me tell you, Dusty was a really interesting character to follow and it was all thanks to you. In turn, I mean that the writing itself was decent, yet Taylor’s quality acting pushed it over the top for me. Whether it’s the way he portrays being afraid and worried or struggling with his guilty conscience, Taylor makes Dusty come across believable. Best of all, he makes the character likable as well.
According to the FBI, Dusty is the one who went AWOL, without Robinson’s consent. In turn, he’s a danger to himself and others. However, that’s not the full story, now is it? Dusty is the whistleblower who wanted to reveal what the head of the FBI (Robinson) was up to. It wasn’t something he did out of nowhere, but after his girlfriend, a political activist, was killed, Dusty felt the urge to come forward. His journey forced him to flee from Travis, who was ordered to take him to a “cleansing program” following his long sting undercover. Not only that, but he was shot at and chased by other men, sent by Robinson. In this crazy situation, he’s the one who’s genuinelly trying to fix things, which makes him an interesting character to follow.
Sadly, we don’t get to know much about Dusty, but what we do know makes him decent. But if he would’ve had more of a backstory, a bit more flavor, he could’ve taken the number 1 spot on my list of the best Blacklight characters. However, he’ll have to settle with a silver medal!
🥇 Travis Block
Played by Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson shows up, does his thing, and leaves satisfied. He knows that this film did what it was supposed to do; entertain us. While it’s not inherently deep or complex, it’s a fun watch. It has many great action scenes, some decent dialogue, and a handful of memorable moments, all provided to us from the Irish God of Action!
Now, don’t get it twisted. Overall, Travis is a 6 out of 10 character. But that’s the best we get in this low-budget, simplistic and tropey action flick. It’s fine. It’s not that bad. But I’m not saying that Travis is a great character. I’m just saying that Liam did his job well, just like other action heroes do, who overcome the simplicity of the film itself. In turn, I’d say that Liam performed to his expected standard. And that’s a positive!
OCD, Guilt & Betrayal
Early on in the film, three things about Travis are established. Firstly, he has OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Secondly, he feels guilt about not being more involved in the life of her daughter, Amanda Block. Thirdly, we see Travis deal with both sides of betrayal. On one hand, he feels like he’s betraying his old friend Robinson by retiring. On the other hand, he also feels betrayed for Robinson’s hidden agenda, and his involvement in “silencing” people. And thus, the stage is set for Travis to face Robinson, deal with his guilt, and struggle through his OCD.
Travis is a character who’s considered a problem solver, who helps Robinson, and the FBI, by saving people that have lost themselves or gotten caught while being undercover. In turn, he is an off the books kind of guy, if you know what I mean? But therein lies the great part of his character, as he’s not perfect. He’s constantly battling against himself, chasing the wrong man in Dusty, while trying to justify the actions of Robinson. But when he finds out what’s really going on, his turn makes sense and his actions become justified.
What makes Travis the best character in Blacklight is how he struggles with the must human things in the world, like taking care of her grandchild. Not only has his mental disorder made an impact on her, but he struggles to see the problem in it. And honestly, it’s what makes him interesting. His actions are both logical and reasonable, as well as illogical and worrysome. In this tale, he’s able to discover himself through newfound information and quality time with his family. It’s a beautiful story, in which you’ll root for Travis all the way! Thus, he’s the best of the best characters in Blacklight!