New on DVD: Neeson feels familiar in ‘Blacklight’

A Liam Neeson action-thriller where he demonstrates his particular set of skills yet again tops the DVD releases for the week of May 3.

“Blacklight”: Neeson stars as Travis Block, a shadowy government operative who does clean up work for the FBI, getting agents that are deep undercover out of sticky situations.

“Director Mark Williams (the 2020 Neeson thriller ‘Honest Thief’), who also co-wrote the script, pays lip service to our current political climate with references to ‘the millennial soapbox crowd’ and ‘gotcha moments on Twitter,’ but it’s basically the same Neeson in slightly different clothing,” writes Detroit News critic Adam Graham in his review. “It’s been 14 years since ‘Taken’ sent the actor into pure action movie mode, and while occasionally something interesting slips through the cracks (‘Cold Pursuit,’ ‘Run All Night’), this one fades from memory pretty quickly. Hopefully the next one is better.”

Also new on DVD May 3

“The Good Fight: Season Five”: Mandy Patinkin joins the cast for the fifth season of the Paramount+ legal drama that stars Christine Baranski as lawyer Diane Lockhart.

“Without Remorse”: Based on the 1993 Tom Clancy book, this Amazon Prime Video action film features Michael B. Jordan as a Navy SEAL who becomes embroiled in a revenge plot and CIA conspiracy after his wife is murdered.

“Belle”: Japanese animated film about a shy high school girl in real life who has an online persona as an internationally famed singer, Belle.

“Dinosaur World”: When a group of contestants gather to take part in a competition held in a virtual reality ruled by dinosaurs, winning becomes secondary to the more primal goal of survival.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town”: Based on a picture book by Akihiro Nishino, who also wrote the screenplay, this Japanese animated movie follows a young chimney sweep trying to see the stars through the chimney smoke of his factory town.

“All My Puny Sorrows”: This heartfelt drama stars Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon as two sisters, one a pianist and the other a writer. Based on the bestselling novel by Miriam Toews.