‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners’: The Liam Neeson action thriller climbing the Netflix charts
The most popular movies chart on Netflix has undergone its weekly shuffle, and thanks to that, there’s now a Liam Neeson action thriller trending, In the Land of Saints and Sinners.
In the week from January 26th to February 1st, the Irish action film entered the weekly chart with 3.6million views, becoming one of the top ten movies in 20 countries. On the most popular movies chart, In the Land of Saints and Sinners is ranked ninth.
But by the looks of it, it won’t be long before In the Land of Saints, and Sinners shoots up through the ranks, considering its existing hold in the cinematic landscape.
Directed by Robert Lorenz, In the Land of Saints and Sinners marks Neeson’s second collaboration with the director after The Marksman. The action film follows retired hitman Finbar Murphy, determined to leave his violent past behind and live a quiet life in a secluded coastal village. But his dreams of tranquillity take a major backseat when a brutal IRA bombmaker arrives with her crew.
Left with no option, Finbar is forced out of his retirement to protect his neighbours and community after witnessing the ruthless nature of these newcomers, especially when one of them kills a local girl without remorse or fear of repercussions.
While this isn’t the first time that well-to-do box office blockbusters have found a second life on streaming, the recent resurgence has a lot to do with its recent expansion into Netflix territories. In the Land of Saints and Sinners originally enjoyed a limited theatrical release in 2024. So, its current availability in Netflix libraries spanning multiple regions has clearly paid off.
Additionally, one shouldn’t underestimate the Neeson effect since he’s undeniably one of the most bankable stars, whether in theatres or on streaming. What’s even more interesting is that although Neeson is best known for gritty thrillers, In the Land of Saints and Sinners is more of a slow-burning Irish Western that feels more grounded than his higher-octane Hollywood projects.
Besides Neeson, In the Land of Saints and Sinners boasts considerable star power, featuring Jack Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Ciaran Hinds and Colm Meaney among others.
While there’s also algorithmic serendipity to count on, specifically given the latest fanaticism surrounding action thrillers following the release of The Rip, its streaming availability should be a good enough reason to fuel those yearnings.