On the surface, SAS: Red Notice is the kind of action-packed movie we expect Hollywood to make, and/or Liam Neeson to star in. It’s the story of a bunch of criminals hijacking the Eurostar as it makes its way beneath the English Channel, and the efforts of one man to stop them. But this is a little bit different. Based on the huge-selling book of the same name from Andy McNab, it’s an action film from the UK, and not short of explosive moments.
Sam Heughan takes the lead here as Tom Buckingham, a special forces operative who happens to be suspended. No matter: it means he can take his partner, Dr Sophie Hart – played by Hannah John-Kamen – on a romantic trip to Paris, secretly planning to propose to her. What, I ask, could possibly go wrong?
Separately, Ruby Rose’s Grace Lewis has a plan. She and her gang of terrorists plan to blow up – wouldn’t you know it – the Channel Tunnel at the point Tom and Sophie’s train is making its way through the thing. Moreover, she takes the train hostage.
Those are pretty much your main ingredients, but two factors play heavily in the film’s favour. Firstly, the cast. Rose is excellent, Heughan makes a convincing lead, and John-Kamen is never less than good value. But also, recruiting seasoned performers such as Noel Clarke, Tom Hopper, Tom Wilkinson and Andy Serkis for the supporting roles proves rather wise.
Furthermore, in the early stages in particular – before we get to the train – director Magnus Martens, working from a script adaptation by Laurence Malkin, stages some strong sequences.