A Walk Among the Tombstones

A sleek dark crime movie with a convincing Liam Neeson, fairly good villains, and excellent 1990s noir atmosphere and locations. The cold city full of weirdos and killers is often more attractive than the actors and their dialogues. The whole thing is oddly moderate, slow and deliberate, and at times you can see an interesting mix of cynicism, calmness, and brutality. There’s one or two good action scenes, but they far from being the main element of the film. It may seem like a quick money-making flick, but it is not, it’s an honest and carefully crafted piece of filmmaking. (10/01/2015)

Neeson walking for some money. First I have to say that Liam Neeson is one of my favourites, but this film is definitely his weakest. There is literally nothing interesting and certainly nothing that I haven't seen in any other film that happens here. It's cliched and boring at the same time. There is very little action and it is so uninterestingly shot that you hardly even notice it. Fans of slow, boring and uninteresting films built solely on story, which I also found unexceptional here, might be happier. I haven't had as much trouble watching a film to the end as I did here in a long time. (15/10/2014)

This film will remind you of the golden nineties, as it offers a perfect noir atmosphere that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Scott Frank was previously a name I associated with quality screenwriting, but here, he also took on directing, and the result was worthwhile. Besides the initial action sequence, which was quite substantial, the film doesn’t offer many action-packed moments; on the other hand, it succeeds in depicting characters and creating a fantastic atmosphere. Liam Neeson is truly born for such roles; here he plays an aging detective who takes on a case that isn’t particularly pleasant. The main duo of villains might have been revealed a bit too early, and I agree with most people on that; it would have been better to play around more with their unknown identity and then surprise the audience. From this perspective, it can be considered a downside. However, I liked the cinematography and the script that was without any major plot holes. The ending was worth it, and well-executed; those expecting a one-on-one fight will be satisfied. A quality detective film. I give it 76%. (19/04/2018)

Not only is this film not the peak of the genre but it is, in fact, quite a ways away. The culprit is the script, which cooks from proven but old and worn ingredients and the worst thing is that it doesn't work with mystery. The evildoers are known to the viewer, and there is simply no tension from their revelation. Scott Frank was probably supposed to replace it with atmosphere, but he didn't have the strength for it. A Walk Among the Tombstones is not an atmospheric film, and the comparison to Schumacher's 8MM is simply completely wrong. If Frank succeeds in building tension, it is thanks to the use of proven genre clichés, which any movie fan will consider somewhat overused. Another objection I have is (it is, of course, only my problem) that the most feared hunter of organized crime in retirement alias Liam Neeson slightly disgusted me with his acting in the various derivatives of Taken, so I did not perceive his experienced acting as a contribution. However, the film would still be good enough for a genre average and 3 stars, but there is also the anemic black boy, who, of course, was abandoned by his mother and found meaning in life through collaboration with the main protagonist. I am particularly sensitive to this trick, and the film loses one star because of it. I would only react worse to a blond blue-eyed girl suffering from leukemia, whom our brave detective platonically falls in love with. Overall impression: 40%. (28/09/2016)

Do not expect an action flick just because it’s Liam Neeson. The only action scene takes place in the first minutes. This film is closer in spirit to Joel Schumacher’s 8MM, but it’s afraid to become too dark and heavy. For incomprehensible reasons, it lightens up and mocks the aura around the main bad guys, who should chill you to the bone. Philosophizing over guilt and redemption does not work very well either – in one of the final scenes it sticks out like a sore thumb. Neeson is OK, but Ólafsson is the best, albeit in a smaller role (he was also the best in Walter Mitty). [Cinemark 18, Howard Hughes Promenade, LA] (20/09/2014)