Capsule Film Review: A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

2014 film A Walk Among the Tombstones is one of those rather rare crime films that combines two popular plot motives in modern Hollywood – War on Drugs and serial killers. Based on the novel by Lawrence Block, it features Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder, a New York private detective, former policeman and recovering alcoholic who tries to redeem himself for past mistakes by offering help to various shady characters. One of them is a drug dealer whose wife was kidnapped and, despite paid ransom, tortured and chopped into little pieces. Scudder quickly concludes that the real motive behind kidnapping is sadistic gratification instead of money, and that the victims were specifically chosen as drug dealers’ wives and girlfriends in order to prevent any police investigation. Directed by Scott Frank, A Walk Among the TombstoneS features excellent acting, good cinematography and good effort in creating specific atmosphere. Set in 1999, it is one of the first such films in Hollywood made as a period piece. Despite the usual and annoying slip into cliches, A Walk Among the Tombstones is one of the better titles in Liam Neeson’s recent filmography.

RATING: 7/10