The Fix (2026)

The CIA‑centric action thriller *The Fix* has ignited one of the widest critic‑audience divides in recent memory. Rotten Tomatoes shows a stark 19 percent critic score versus an 81 percent audience rating – a 62‑point gap that eclipses most of Neeson’s past releases. The film follows a disgraced team of CIA operatives, led by Neeson and Zachary Levi, on a covert mission to Iran to retrieve a $25 million cash cache. While the premise promises high‑stakes espionage, reviewers slammed the movie for a muddled political storyline, sluggish pacing, and an overlong runtime. Critics also noted that Neeson’s screen presence is far slimmer than the marketing suggests, and Levi was deemed miscast for the action‑hero role. Audiences, however, seem less concerned with those flaws. Over 50 verified viewer ratings have propelled the audience score to a robust 81 percent, indicating that many theatergoers found the action and suspense sufficient to enjoy the ride. This split mirrors a similar pattern in Neeson’s filmography, with *Blacklight* showing an even larger critic‑audience disparity, and it ties with Zachary Levi’s *Harold and the Purple Crayon* for one of his biggest gaps. The timing of the release—coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks—adds a layer of real‑world resonance to its geopolitical backdrop. Despite the critical backlash, the film’s ability to connect with its target audience offers a modest rebound for both Neeson and Levi after a series of mixed receptions, hinting that the appetite for gritty, globe‑spanning action remains strong.

In The Fix, the Irish legend swaps his usual gun‑fueled heroics for a more subdued role as Larry, the CIA handler who watches the action from a bank of monitors. Neeson’s candid confession to CBR—"the chair’s not for me, looking at computer screens? I’m bored"—reveals a rare glimpse of the actor’s yearning to stay in the thick of the battle, even as the script deliberately sidelines him. The film also pairs two seasoned DC alumni in a non‑superhero setting: Neeson, once the formidable Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins, and Zachary Levi, who embodied the adult Shazam in the Shazam! duology. Their shared comic‑book pedigree fuels fan speculation, but both actors say the collaboration feels natural, not a nostalgic stunt. Levi even quipped about writing a buddy‑cop crossover featuring Ra’s al Ghul and Shazam, underscoring the playful chemistry that underpins their on‑screen partnership. Beyond the desk, Neeson’s evolution from Oscar‑nominated drama in Schindler’s List to action staples like Taken—and most recently the 2025 remake of The Naked Gun—shows a star constantly redefining his action‑hero persona. Yet, as he puts it, the allure of “being in the thick of it” remains his true calling, a sentiment that adds an extra layer of intrigue to his restrained performance in The Fix.