Liam Neeson‘s thriller Widows, directed by Steve McQueen, is one of the better films in Neeson’s scattered filmography. Widows sits beside Neeson classics like Schindler’s List, forgotten gems like Sam Raimi’s Darkman, and flops like Taken 3. Those familiar with Steve McQueen’s sparse but punishing works can already assume that Widows is no different in its intensity and emotional control. Widows is a calculated thriller in the best sense of the word. It’s calculated in its claustrophobic scope and bitterly realistic stakes. It’s calculated in its performances, controlled to the point of madness, and a perfect exercise in female-led story-telling.