On the Line (2022)

On the Line turns a simple late-night radio show into a pressure cooker, where every ringing phone feels like a loaded weapon and the studio lights suddenly look like an interrogation lamp. Mel Gibson leans into the role of a swaggering shock jock forced to confront the consequences of his own on-air persona, and the movie wisely keeps the tension moving—tight pacing, sharp reversals, and a ticking-clock vibe that makes it easy to hit “play one more minute.” Director Romuald Boulanger stages the action with a pulpy, high-wire energy that’s more fun than grim, even when the threats get ugly, and it’s the kind of thriller that wants you leaning forward, guessing what’s real and what’s performance. If you’re allergic to nasty language or hostage-terror scenarios, it may be too abrasive, but if you like contained thrillers with a mischievous streak and a few well-timed twists, it’s a brisk, entertaining ride.

On the Line wants to be a lean, high-stakes thriller about a smug shock jock forced into a live, humiliating reckoning while racing through a booby-trapped radio station. The setup is genuinely punchy and Mel Gibson has enough grizzled presence to keep the first stretch moving, but the writing leans hard on contrived decisions, thin characters, and “gotcha” twists you’ll likely see coming. Where it really risks losing you is the way it escalates into increasingly ridiculous territory, undercutting the tension it worked to build. If you like tight, believable thrillers, this may feel like a noisy draft with a solid premise; if you can tolerate soapier plotting for the ride, you might still get some guilty, late-night entertainment out of it.