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A Walk Among the Tombstones
A Walk Among the Tombstones
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jmovies
Let's Call It A Bromance
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm Posts: 12333
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A Walk Among the Tombstones
A Walk Among the TombstonesQuote: A Walk Among the Tombstones is a 2014 American crime thriller film based on a novel by Lawrence Block of the same name, directed and written by Scott Frank. It stars Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, and Sebastian Roché. The film is scheduled to be released on September 19, 2014.
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:55 pm |
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trixster
loyalfromlondon
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm Posts: 19697 Location: ville-marie
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
grim
_________________Magic Mike wrote: zwackerm wrote: If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes. Same. Algren wrote: I don't think. I predict.
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Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:15 pm |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
A cynical and hard-edged detective story, A Walk Among the Tombstones is a solidly muscular mystery and suspense film anchored by an actor, Liam Neeson, in his element and in fine form. The film opens in the early 1990s, and he is an alcoholic policeman who chases and shoots a group of hoods after they rob his local bar. One bullet goes astray, and the resulting tragedy inspires him to leave the force and join Alcoholics Anonymous. A couple years later, he is an unlicensed private detective hired by a wealthy drug dealer (Dan Stevens, anxious and mustachioed and decidedly non-posh) to find the sadists who abducted his wife and murdered her despite his paying the large ransom. This is an ideal role for Neeson as he continues to enjoy his blazing and unexpected second wind as a 60-plus action star. It utilizes his established strengths—his imposing build, his deep and rich voice, his convincing air of world-hardened exhaustion—while also placing him in a context with more ethical complexity and grit than a lighter picture such as Non-Stop provided.
This is the second film directed by Scott Frank, whose prestigious writing credits include Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Minority Report. It is not as original nor as resonant as his masterful debut behind the camera, The Lookout, but he still proves a more-than-capable craftsman, turning the suspense dial toward ten with admirable patience (the trajectory of the storyline is not a revelation, but it is also not overly predictable) and conjuring evocative images of shadow-enshrouded, rain-swept urban isolation. In fact, the film shares a cinematographer with the Paul Thomas Anderson film The Master, and the foreboding images—of characters descending steep stairways, of alley beatings, and, yes, of nocturnal jaunts in cemeteries—have a depth, level of detail, and texture not always found in multiplex-ready genre films.
B+
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Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:46 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48626 Location: Arlington, VA
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
A Walk Among the Tombstones is full of atmosphere but narratively flat. The longer the film goes on, the more it begins to resemble a mediocre Law & Order: SVU episode. And the terrible, endless subplot with the homeless kid just tanks the movie. Liam Neeson gives it his all as usual, though. C
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Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:47 pm |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
The homeless-teen subplot felt dangerous (dangerous in a this-is-going-to-be-deadly-corny way), but he grew on me in later scenes, and Neeson's monologue when he sees the handgun is fantastic.
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:04 pm |
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Webslinger
why so serious?
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:24 pm Posts: 4110 Location: Stuck In A Moment I Can't Get Out Of
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
Although the trailers make it out to look like yet another venture into the same stoic action hero territory that Liam Neeson has occupied on numerous occasions since the surprise success of Taken, A Walk Among the Tombstones is a surprisingly contemplative thriller. Even though its instances of violence are grisly and more than earn the R-rating, it's a mostly psychological thriller that succeeds despite juggling a few too many plot threads over the course of its running time. Under the direction of Scott Frank (who, between his scripts for Out of Sight and Minority Report, has to be one of the most overlooked talents working in studio filmmaking today), this is an atmospheric, bleak thriller that succeeds in establishing a seedy world and placing Neeson's character in the midst of it. As a tortured ex-cop, Neeson brings the gravity and world-weariness necessary to make the character fly. It's a performance reminiscent of his tortured work in The Grey, and it's further evidence that even when working for a paycheck (albeit a relatively scant one, given the film's somewhat modest budget), Neeson will put all that he has into the characters. Audiences who expect a Bryan Mills-type character will be disappointed, but Neeson nails this brooding character just right. Unfortunately, the film does have so many subplots that it doesn't quite maintain the momentum that it builds early on. Even one of its initially promising subplots - namely, the one involving the teenage sidekick who Neeson's character takes on - becomes a bit tired as the film progresses. However, Frank doesn't compromise with the film's dark tone until the final ten or so minutes, which feel like a conventional Hollywood thriller. While not without its flaws, A Walk Among the Tombstones is commendable as a dark thriller that stays true to its purpose through most of its running time.
B
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Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:50 pm |
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Mau
100% That Bitch
Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:42 pm Posts: 16894 Location: Monterrey, Mexico
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
B
Liam Neeson just owns everything he does.y
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Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:19 am |
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Dil
Forum General
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:48 pm Posts: 8942 Location: Houston, Texas
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
Liam is good here, but it does get a bit dull at times. I liked the dark atmosphere and the supporting cast is solid especially Dan Stevens. I just didn't find the villains that scary and they are revealed way to early in the movie IMO.
The finale was pretty intense, but after reading the actual ending of the novel I think that would have been a better ending. It makes more sense in the revenge aspect and the grim nature of it could have been more satisfying.
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Fri Sep 26, 2014 12:00 pm |
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Algren
now we know
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm Posts: 67000
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A Walk Among the Tombstones
It has atmosphere and potential, but it's such a wasted opportunity. It's pretty generic with little in the way of treats to make up for the flat lining. This film needs to have Neeson kicking ass. There's nothing complicated, spiritual or satanic about the killers here (as the trailer sort of suggested). They're just guys that extort money out of people. Time is wasted by Neeson liaising with a black kid, and there is very little actual detective work in the film. In fact, there's no detective work. Neeson just visits places and gets himself into shit, which just points towards the film having a weak script. Sometimes awesome scenes can make up for narrative shortcomings, but sadly not here because there are none.
I thought Dan Stevens was pretty terrible. Wooden and awkward. The killers were not scary or menacing. Just two average blokes revealed too early in the film. It's actually a pretty slow-moving, methodical thriller. The only selling point is that it has Neeson supposedly kicking ass, yet not really kicking any ass.
A guy throws himself off a roof for no apparent reason. Neeson fires a pistol right next to his ear countless times and suffers no symptoms from it. He also gets hit twice with a hammer (once on the wrist) and is fine afterwards. No broken bones. It's things like this that I would normally ignore if the film was exciting or interesting.
C
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Fri Oct 03, 2014 11:51 am |
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Renton
Iron Man
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:15 pm Posts: 622
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
The film has a good setup, it has some good suspenseful moments and Liam is pretty fuckin great here, but it ultimately stumbles. The third act especially is disappointing, because it just becomes a regular kidnapper-ransom thing with the required bloodbath at the end, which is just very predictable. Why would you reveal the killers so early in the film and then just not develop them in an original or interesting way, make them really truly depraved and scary? That early revelation just takes a lot of the mystery and intrigue out of the movie. Regardless, I enjoyed it mostly because of Liam. B-/C+ (same grade as Non-Stop)
_________________
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Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:39 am |
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David
Pure Phase
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am Posts: 34865 Location: Maryland
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
Underrated movie.
_________________1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game
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Thu Jan 08, 2015 4:51 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm Posts: 92093 Location: Bonn, Germany
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
David wrote: Underrated movie. Very much so. I expected nothing and was very very positively surprised.
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:18 pm |
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Magic Mike
Wallflower
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:53 am Posts: 34875 Location: Minnesota
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
This was very good and a nice change of pace for a Neeson vehicle. This is a moody, talky film noir and as far from something like "Taken" as you can get. With its leisurely pace it's not a huge surprise it didn't connect with audiences. But I really dug it. Neeson's best role in a mainstream wide release movie in a while. Dan Stevens was also good in a supporting role.
8/10 (B+)
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Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:25 am |
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jmovies
Let's Call It A Bromance
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm Posts: 12333
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Re: A Walk Among the Tombstones
Eh I thought this was pretty bad and that Astro kid is still a horrible actor.
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Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:51 pm |
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