Liam Neeson’s ‘The Fix’ Gets Hammered by Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Liam Neeson is back with another action thriller, but his latest movie is having a rough start with critics. The Fix, which also stars Zachary Levi, has opened with a very low score on Rotten Tomatoes, putting the film among the weakest-reviewed titles of Neeson’s long career. The movie arrived in theaters on September 11, giving audiences their first chance to decide whether the latest Neeson action vehicle is worth watching despite the harsh reviews.

According to the Rotten Tomatoes score cited in the original report, The Fix currently has just 19 percent from 26 critic reviews. That makes it one of the lowest-rated films Neeson has appeared in on the site. While a Rotten Tomatoes score does not always predict how a movie will perform with audiences, the number is still a tough start for a film that depends heavily on action, suspense, and the appeal of its two leading stars.

The movie puts Neeson in the role of Larry, a former CIA operative who becomes a mentor to a team involved in a dangerous mission. Levi plays Tucker, another former operative who leads the group as they travel to Tehran for a rescue and heist operation. The story begins after an earlier mission in Afghanistan goes badly, setting up another international adventure filled with danger and high-stakes action.

Guy Moshe directed the movie, which is also entering theaters at a time when stories involving Afghanistan and the Middle East can attract extra attention. The Fix tries to mix a traditional action story with a more serious backdrop, but some critics feel that the movie does not find the right balance. The result has been a collection of reviews that question both the film’s approach and its handling of its subject matter.

The Hollywood Reporter was among the outlets to criticize the movie. The publication argued that the film relies too heavily on its own ideas and ultimately loses some of its impact because of what it described as overkill. That criticism points to one of the main problems reviewers have had with The Fix: the movie seems to keep pushing its action and drama instead of allowing the story to breathe.

The New York Times was also unhappy with the film. The newspaper called it an unfortunately timed and trivializing movie because of the subject matter it uses for its story. That criticism is particularly important because The Fix is not simply another fictional rescue mission. Its setting and references to recent military history give the movie a real-world connection that some reviewers found uncomfortable.

Levi has also received attention from critics, although the reaction has not been completely negative. Some reviewers have suggested that his character comes across as stiff, while others believe that the performance fits Tucker’s cold and calculating personality. The action itself has also received some praise, with early reactions pointing to the movie’s suspense and set pieces as reasons viewers might still have a good time.

The poor reviews also put The Fix in an interesting position because Neeson has built a strong reputation in this type of movie. Over the last decade or more, he has appeared in numerous thrillers where he plays tough, experienced characters pulled into dangerous situations. Some of those movies have been successful with audiences even when critics were not impressed.

Blacklight, released in 2022, was previously one of the lowest-rated Neeson movies on Rotten Tomatoes. The Fix is now sitting even closer to the bottom of that list, although its final position could change as more reviews are added. The bigger question is whether audiences will care about the critical reaction or simply show up for another Neeson action movie.

That answer should become clearer once the opening weekend numbers arrive. Neeson has shown before that his movies can attract viewers based on his name alone, and The Fix has the added appeal of Levi in a leading role. The film also offers plenty of action for moviegoers who are not looking for a movie with strong critical approval.

For now, The Fix has a major challenge ahead. Critics have clearly not embraced the film, but the audience response could still tell a very different story. If moviegoers enjoy the action and suspense, the low Rotten Tomatoes score may become little more than a footnote. If audiences agree with the critics, however, The Fix could quickly become one of the biggest critical disappointments of Neeson’s recent career.