The Marksman is a 2021 action thriller film starring Liam Neeson and Katheryn Winnick.
Jim Hanson is a retired Vietnam veteran who is suddenly thrust back into action when he aids a fleeing mother and son being pursued by the cartel across the Mexican border. He then has to get the boy to family in Chicago while the Cartel hunts the pair down.
This film provides examples of:
- Big Bad: Mauricio, a high-level soldier with a Mexican drug cartel, is the film's main villain. He is a ruthless murderer who's hunting down a woman and her young son just to punish them for what her brother did (who is already dead at the cartel's hands while this happens after stealing from them).
- The Cartel: The villains of the movie, they follow Rosa and Miguel to the Border and pursue Jim and Miguel as they head to Chicago.
- Child Soldiers: Mauricio, the main villain of the film, was recruited by the cartel as a little boy. Near the end, when holding Miguel hostage, he tells Jim mockingly how Miguel's going to become one too, saying he was once just like him. Jim is naturally horrified by this. However, he still had to teach Miguel shooting, though only for self-defense. Miguel does this in the film, shooting Jim non-fatally and nearly killing Mauricio.
- Cold Sniper: Jim is a good man but usually gruff and distant to others. A veteran Marine scout sniper who had served in Vietnam, he's still quite good at sniping (thus the film's title) and shows his skills during the film multiple times while fighting dangerous cartel members.
- Dirty Cop: Jim is stopped by a Highway Patrol officer whom he quickly realizes took money from the cartel to hand over him and Miguel. He manages to escape the officer with Miguel, before the cartel members show up (who then summarily kill the guy as he's become useless for them).
- Easter Egg: A few reference other films where Liam Neeson starred.
- When Sarah is warning Jim about Mauricio, she tells him that Mauricio "will find you, and when he does, he will kill you."
- In one scene, Jim and Miguel decide to burn the cartel's money.
- A recovering alcoholic, Jim considers buying some Kraken brand liquor before deciding against it.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Jackson becomes uneasy when the cartel members are near.
- Good Old Ways: Jim says he refuses to use a cell phone because he has no need for one.
- Hollywood Atheist: After burying Jackson, Jim is initially upset when Miguel mentions Jackson is in heaven, saying it's just something people made up to feel better. Miguel's mother died in the film earlier, so he's upset by this. Jim takes Miguel to a Catholic church so his mother can have a funeral in contrition. He's shown as bitter about losing his wife before as well. Later he recants, saying Miguel's mother is watching over him.
- It's Personal: Part of the reason Mauricio pursues Jim and Miguel so aggressively is that Jim killed Mauricio's brother in a gunfight early on. On the hero's side, Jim becomes incensed when the cartel members needlessly kill his dog.
- Kick the Dog: More like Shoot The Dog, but in pursuit of Jim and Miguel, the cartel members kill the former's dog Jackson after he barks at them. Even worse, Jim is Forced to Watch from a distance.
- Moral Myopia: Mauricio becomes determined to hunt down Jim and Miguel because Jim shot his brother, even though it was in self-defense because he and his brother started the gunfight with the intention to kill Jim.
- Never Found the Body: After seriously wounding Mauricio, Jim hands him a gun with a single bullet and offers him two choices, either he can return to Mexico or shoot himself, the pair hear a gunshot outside but don’t see the body so it’s left ambiguous.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Following the escape from the corrupt cop, Jim accidentally lets the map fall out of the car, which makes it easier for Mauricio to track him and Miguel to Chicago.
- Papa Wolf: Jim becomes this to Miguel.
- Product Placement: Miguel is shown eating Pop-Tarts in a few scenes.
- Road Trip Plot: A large part of the film involves getting from Nogales, Arizona to Chicago.
- Semper Fi: Jim is a Marine veteran who'd served in Vietnam as a scout sniper. He's shown as extremely skilled with guns due to his training even years later as an old man, taking on three hardened Mexican cartel members on all by himself near the beginning.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Jim is a big fan of Chicago-style hot dogs, and Miguel seems to love Pop-Tarts.
- Uncertain Doom: After getting Miquel to his family in Chicago, Jim boards a bus and discovers he is heavily bleeding, he then closes his eyes and the film cuts to black before we are able to see if he has died or not.
- The Vietnam Vet: Jim is a Vietnam Vet himself, specifically a former Marine Corps scout sniper, revealing he served two tours of duty. He still has medals he earned as a result, but doesn't talk much of his service. Jim however does tell Miguel that there's nothing good about killing other men (he does it presently only to protect himself or others).
- Villain's Dying Grace: After being seriously wounded, Mauricio returns the Marine Corps medal he stole from Jim's house.
- Worthy Opponent: Mauricio, for all that he's a villainous Mexican cartel hitman, appears to respect Jim somewhat, given his skills as a Marine veteran and being a "fellow soldier". Villain's Dying Grace he returns Jim's medal which he stole right before dying.
- You Have Failed Me: The corrupt cop is killed by the cartel for failing to capture Miguel.
