A Walk Among the Tombstones

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)

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)

A perfect, old school detective movie with a precise Neeson, perverted kidnappers and a cold, sodden atmosphere. These non-digital guy’s movies are few and far between and I’m glad that Scott Frank was able to resurrect this genre even in today’s world. A gloomy mood at the end of the millennium, full of junkies and cut-up whores, an ingenious story from the pen of Lawrence Block, all spiced with the crackly, hoarse, Irish telephone voice of a former drunk? I want a sequel! (31/10/2014)

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)

A well-made action film bordering on a film noir that keeps up its suspenseful atmosphere from start to finish. Although there are fewer gunfights compared to other Neeson films, it’s not a bad thing in this case. The film has a good atmosphere and steers clear of unnecessary sentimentality and pathos, so I greatly enjoyed it. (10/07/2016)