FILM REVIEW: A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Director: Scott Frank
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour, Boyd Holdbrook and Brian “Astro” Bradley
Running Time: 113 minutes
Genre: Thriller

Liam Neeson has become the quintessential middle-aged action hero of recent times. Still too good an actor to fall into The Expendables level of action farce, his films of late, while not being the grandstanding critical successes like Schindler’s List and Batman Begins, have redefined the 62 year old Antrim native as one of the premier ass-kickers in Hollywood. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a darker and more troubling film than his recent action fare, a film that packs a real punch when moments of violence do kick in, and Neeson is ever reliable as a trouble former police officer who now treads the blurred lines between private detective and vigilante.

After a thrilling and bombastic opening scene, you would be forgiven for expecting a body count to rival Taken, but there is far more going on here than Taken’s route one kill path. There is a slow build and reveal of information, as Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens) and his brother Peter (Boyd Holbrook) hire to Neeson’s Matthew Scudder to investigate and find those responsible for the abduction and brutal murder of Kenny’s wife. Instantly noticeable from the disturbing opening credits, Tombstones is often closer in tone to Fincher’s chiller Se7en than Taken or its sequel (which perhaps might disappoint action junkies out there). The killers are slowly revealed, there is no big mystery or reveal, but it doesn’t take away from the chills you get when they appear on screen. While not quite as iconic as Spacey’s John Doe, these guys are evil on every level and director Frank wants you to know, top marks to David Harbour who portrays Ray, the mouthier one of the duo, he give a suitably creepy performance. Brian “Astro” Bradley gives a good performance as a homeless kid who becomes an understudy of Scudder. Their moments together provide moments of humour and while some may consider them as hampering the stories progression, they help us to understand Scudder and Bradley’s T.J. connection and at least have some humanity on display in a film of gangsters, serial killers and men with nothing to lose.

A Walk Among the Tombstones is very much Neeson’s film. His presence is powerful and compelling from the opening scene, he can scowl wonderfully when needed and scenes of emotional turmoil display just how good an actor he is. Back that up with a good supporting cast; Dan Stevens is the next-big thing, a charismatic presence despite having little to do for the most part, while Bradley may be one for the future and the aforementioned Harbour gives a turn of true deviousness, as the films stand out villain. The film is a dark, adult thriller that is a step up from routine genre fare of late, with a disturbing and menacing tone throughout and a top performance from Neeson.

VERDICT: A Walk Among the Tombstones is an entertaining and disturbing crime thriller. With a top performance from Neeson and some great supporting turns for a talented supporting cast, if you want to see a thriller aimed purely at an adult audience with very little compromises with regards to going to the darker side of humanity, this film is for you.