‘The Mongoose’ is an Oscar winning ad for the Shelby Mustang

By Danielle Cherry 

With Liam Neeson at the helm of a beautiful red Shelby Mustang, speed is the need for every aspect of “The Mongoose.” Yet with so little on the line for a plot, the Mustang, Neeson and the writers present a controversial story of veteran PTSD and criminality. 

Fang (Liam Neeson) is an ex-military commander, forced to run for his life in the aftermath of a scuffle with his former wife’s new fiancé. Conveniently this fiancé is filthy rich, and happens to have a very red, very expensive and very fast car sitting in the garage. 

In an effort to get-out-of-dodge, Fang makes the grand escape with no plan, no allies and a tank of gas almost empty. As the movie plays out, two timelines emerge—the present continuous chase scene and flashes from Fang’s time serving in Afghanistan. 

There is no end to action, starting off right in the middle of the chase sequence. Only after throwing the audience into the middle of the chaos does the story go back to the beginning and reveal how Fang found himself in this mess. What is truly unique about this story is how the audience learns about Fang’s background as the characters in the story witness the chase on the news. 

Being rated R, it is within the screen-writers every right to portray action and violence with no cuts, yet even non-violent racing sequences have quite jarring cuts. Turns and sharp banks are cut away quickly to see the car finishing the turn, while epic jumps and crashes are not fully revealed. It is disappointing that a movie revolving around a chase sequence has moments so highly edited that if you blink you miss them. 

Maybe the “F1” movie and “Fall Guy” have heightened the expectations of car-stunt film capturing—but it almost feels like “The Mongoose” is trying to hide the spectacularity of the Mustang stunts. With so much haphazardly impressive evasion, it would have been nice to see the car make a turn without the shot being cut up into tiny pieces. 

Despite the editing choice, in ways it helps the film portray graphic scenes without becoming outright brutal. The shakiness of the camera and cut-jumping create an atmosphere of uncertainty which really adds to the uncertainty Fang is feeling at every moment. 

Liam Neeson deserves a lot of credit for having chemistry with literally no one other than a car for half the movie. Being stuck in the small, three foot front of the Shelby, Neeson had to bring a physicality that is almost exclusively present in facial movements. 

With a movie that boasts little other than a two-hour chase sequence, “The Mongoose” tells a heartfelt story of what PTSD does to war veterans and what the bonding that takes place between brothers in arms looks like. 

At first, Fang is thought of as a criminal, but as the audience and characters learn of Fang’s background the tone quickly changes to support for the veteran fleeing for his life. Interestingly, the police become the villains seeking to eliminate a man who did nothing but defend his life and the country he lives in. 

There is so much dialogue about whether it is right to accuse someone for a crime without substantial evidence and if a person’s previous good deeds solicit a different verdict. Fang encounters both situations, with people being on his side because they believe he did no wrong, and people who believe that his crime deserves harsh punishment. 

Regardless, there is not much true justice that is accomplished—the story almost wars with itself in its discussion about the justice system. Is it right for Fang to get away in the Shelby because of all the good things he has done, or is it right for Fang to be caught and face punishment? That question still lingers even in the closing frames of the movie. 

With a story that is more profound than the title reveals, “The Mongoose” pairs brilliant car-stunts with a difficult discussion, making for a movie that gives more than it asked for.

If you ask me, Mustang ought to do more collaborations with Neeson—as this movie markets the Shelby as not only a pretty car, but one that is fast and functional for every criminal’s needs. 

“The Mongoose” is currently playing in theaters

Danielle Cherry is a junior communication major and is assistant editor and writer for A&E and passionate writer for Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and wonders what it takes to be a stunt driver—because it would be her greatest joy to whip a Mustang around like Fang did in this movie. 

Images courtesy of Code Entertainment