The Mongoose Movie Review

“The Mongoose” is a high-octane movie with fast cars and stoic drivers. The driver is leading the police and state troopers on a multi-state chase. A decorated military vet, this guy has been unjustly charged with a crime he did not commit. Sounds like the perfect time to commit hundreds of more driving infractions to prove you are innocent, right?

Ryan “Fang” Flanagan (played by Liam Neeson) is a retired military hero. He spent many years overseas fighting in Afghanistan. The patrol under his command was taken prisoner after their chopper was brought down. The Taliban fighters killed one of his men. Ryan, being the manly man that he is, was able to outwit a cobra. He then used the snake as a weapon to break his men free.

Ryan escaped with his faithful squad members, Tanker (played by Ving Rhames) and Munch (played by Marcus Thomas). This was after they destroyed all of the Taliban fighters. They were unable to save the forth member, and that still weighs in Ryan’s mind. When he got back state-side, his wife could not take his moods and his PTSD anger.

His wife, Tara (played by Marisa Tomei) got a divorce from Ryan. He was broken up, but learned to move on. Tara remarried a fellow named Todd (played by Brett Morgan). He was a successful lawyer, but a real slime-ball. One day, Tara ended up in the hospital. Ryan is furious that Todd abused his ex-wife.

Ryan goes to Todd’s huge house to get Tara’s things. Todd is not too happy that Ryan came over, and he threatens Ryan with a gun. There is a scuffle, and Todd ends up dead. It seems he accidentally shot himself. But the police are on their way to investigate. Ryan’s truck has been disabled. But he is able to find a suitable substitute in Todd’s garage.

Ryan drives off in a real muscle-car, a Shelby Mustang Cobra. He just wants to drive away, and get someplace else very quickly. He is now in Arkansas, and finds there is a APB out for his capture. Not that he did anything wrong, but he left Todd’s house, and Todd is at room temperature. So, the police and state troopers need to have a little chat with Ryan.

The local head of the State Troopers is Major Tilton (played by Maurice Marvel Meredith). He is able to track down the Cobra’s cell phone to call Ryan. He wants Ryan to pull over and turn himself in. Ryan tells him – maybe next time. The fancy car has a fancy built-in AI to run the vehicle. The voice of the AI is Helene (voiced by Stella Stocker). She has a smooth silky voice and gets Ryan real-time information to use. Now he can make a run for it.

Ryan has several patrol cars chasing after him. But with some ‘particular set of driving skills’, Ryan is able to use the muscle in this muscle-car. He leads all of these cops into various dead-ends. Ryan gets Helene to find the closest gas station to refuel.  But by now, the major networks have picked up on the story. The decorated war hero is being hounded by the police – the story writes itself.

His old veteran buddies have found out, and they are finding a way to help. Munch, who can fly a helicopter, has ‘borrowed’ one from a local TV station. Tanker gets in and flies off with Munch, so they can both find a way to help Ryan. Also, a famous news reporter from CNN, Laura Coates (played by herself), gets into the story. There is a news chopper following along with State Trooper helicopter.

His ex-wife Tara calls to see if she can convince Ryan to give up. He tells her that he was taken prisoner by the Taliban years ago. He vows never to be taken into custody. He tells her they will meet up again on a beach in Mexico, a beach called “The Mongoose”. Ryan is evading the cops best as he can. But he is about to cross the border into Texas.

The leader of the Texas State Troopers is a rough and violent man named Major Pope (played by Michael Chiklis). He wants Ryan’s chase to be ended right now. There is a huge blockade on the road that lead into Texas. Ryan drives up to see that, and he sees that the Arkansas police have come up from behind. Good thing that Helene is able to bring up a satellite image of the dirt road that he can use to escape.

Major Pope is furious that his troops have let Ryan sneak in through a back door. Major Tilton, from Arkansas, figures that Ryan is a trained military fighter. But he thinks that Ryan would not be a killer. He wants to see if he can get over to Texas and make sure Major Pope doesn’t get his troopers into a big mess. Pope has been known to have people use excessive force in the past.

Ryan finds that fellow veterans have heard about his story. They all are more than willing to help. One fellow does a quick paint change to the car so it will not be noticed. Another vet is a trucker that happens to have some extra room in his semi trailer. Word gets out to all the fellow vet truck drivers that Ryan could use a hand. All of a sudden there are reports that Ryan was spotted – on every major highway in the country.

Ryan thinks he can get to the beach in Mexico and see Tara again. But he still needs help from Tanker and Munch. Evading the Texas State Troopers is a full-time job. But the best part is that he gets to make Major Pope look like a fool. And that guy needs little help with that, really.

But then it seems the jig is up. It seems that the train has rolled into the station. It seems that the fat lady has sung. Tara calls one last time, and she lets Ryan know that she will plan to go to the beach very soon. It is all looking pretty bleak for Ryan. But what would happen if a helicopter happens to come by, and Munch and Tanker lend him a hand?

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“The Mongoose” is movie to put your brain into neutral while you watch them step on the gas. The plot is a nifty device to put Liam Neeson into a fancy hot rod and let him run from the coppers. The action is Fast and, maybe I should say, Furious.

There are very few deep character-driven moments. Almost all the driving is for spectacle and vroom-vroom fun. The stunt setups are well-planned for all the vehicular mayhem put on the screen. It is satisfying to see when it pays off.

Liam Neeson is fine, and likewise Marisa Tomei is fine. None of the other characters stand out that much. Perhaps the best one is Michael Chiklis, as Major Pope. But then, all he is asked to do is ‘stare and glare’, putting on his mean face. Stella Stocker has an interesting role, but only being the voice of AI ‘Helene’.

Since this is an action movie with a very modest budget ($20 million), there are some small short-cuts here and there. The ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement) is funky at times. The great Southeast areas of Arkansas and Texas are played by Australia. But a lot of the budget went into the stunt work.

“The Mongoose” is classic ‘man on the run from the law’ story, only being on the run in this case means he is zooming down the highway in a souped-up muscle car.