A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES (R)
Released by Universal Pictures
Review by Adam Mast
The trailer for A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES might lead one to believe that this is simply a riff on the sporadically fun, but ultimately watered-down, TAKEN. After all, this flick tells the story of an ex-cop entangled in a case involving abducted women. There’s even a moment in this picture when a fiery Liam Neeson has a tense exchange with an abductor over the phone. But that’s really where the similarities end. This is a much darker, infinitely uglier look at the world.
A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES is a noir thriller featuring Neeson as Matt Scudder, a private dick for hire who is sought after by shady drug trafficker Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens) to find the men who kidnapped his wife. Somewhat reluctantly, Scudder takes the job, and while on the case, the ex-cop finds himself dealing with an odd assortment of colorful individuals, including a street-wise youngster with uncanny investigation skills (Brian “Astro” Bradley, fairing much better here then he did in EARTH TO ECHO), and a creepy and slightly aloof cemetery groundskeeper (wonderfully played by a scene-stealing Olafur Darri Olafsson).
A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES has more upstairs than a typical generic thriller, and given that it was adapted from a book by Lawrence Block and directed by Scott Frank, that should come as no surprise. Having made the underrated THE LOOKOUT, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as penning MINORITY REPORT for Steven Spielberg, it’s clear that Frank has a firm grip on this particular genre. He even peppers A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES with Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade references, so we don’t forget what kind of a movie we’re watching.
In terms of overall story, A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES is pretty familiar, paying tribute to the likes of DIRTY HARRY, THE FRENCH CONNECTION, and nearly every noir piece you can shake a stick at, but Frank elevates the material by way of tone, grit, and deft character touches. There are many flawed men to be found in this picture, but Frank has the uncanny ability to humanize these men in a myriad of intriguing ways. Be it a drug dealer providing for his sickly wife or an addict who would do just about anything to gain the affection of the woman he loves, it’s these touches that bring weight to the picture.
Of course, not everyone in A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES is human. There is no good to be found in this film’s antagonists. As a couple of soulless, cold-blooded heathens, the effective David Harbour and Adam David Thompson chillingly remind us that there is plenty of evil in this world, and through their horrific actions, they insure that A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES is anything but watered-down.
Holding the entire film together is a stoic Neeson. His character is a broken man looking for redemption, but this dependable actor manages to make the proceedings not feel as clichéd as they might feel otherwise. Look no further then Scudder’s odd yet fatherly bond with Bradley’s T.J. Rather than coddling this young man, Scudder tells him the way things really are. True, the teen is put in harm’s way more times than I’d care to admit in this picture, but I found it compelling that Frank opted to throw a kid in the middle of all of this seedy madness, and it works because Neeson completely sells his no-nonsense approach to the relationship.
Earlier this year, I raved about Jim Mickle’s outstanding adaptation of Joe R. Lansdale’s COLD IN JULY. A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES certainly covers similar terrain. This movie also has quite a bit in common with the brilliant HBO series TRUE DETECTIVE. While it lacks the all-out energy of the former and the sheer complexity of the latter, this is still a worthy character-driven effort fueled by Neeson’s best work since THE GREY.
