A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

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And I'm done. My Liam Neeson thriller film festival concludes with A Walk Among the Tombstones.

I was really hoping to end on a high note, but frankly, I just don't think I liked this one too much. Liam is an ex-cop-turned-unlicensed-private-detective who is hired to investigate the murder of a drug dealer's wife. Turns out she was murdered by these guys who like to rape and torture women.

The problem with just writing this movie off is that it's got so much going for it: A great opening, an effective mood, some really nice cinematography, really solid performances. . . But the story is convoluted, kind of disgusting, and ultimately just not all that interesting.

Much like with Unknown, the central mystery takes precedence over Liam Neeson shooting people and kicking the shit out of them, which is fine, but if that's going to be the case then the mystery needs to be compelling, and I just didn't think this one was.

After what I thought was a really great opening scene I thought I was in for a good ride, but it didn't take long before I realized the rest of the film just wasn't going to live up to those first five minutes. And so, reluctantly, I think I have to fail this one.

And that's it. The journey is complete. Eight films, evenly split between ones I ultimately liked and ones that I found disappointing.

I've watched so many Liam Neeson movies in the past couple of weeks that I feel like the motherfucker is my good friend now. Even though I wasn't bowled over by all of these movies, now that he has announced his un-retirement from the action/thriller genre I will be looking forward to whatever he comes up with next. I guess there's a 50/50 chance it will be good.

The final tally:

PASS

Non-Stop
Run All Night
Taken
Unknown

FAIL

The Commuter
A Walk Among the Tombstones
Taken 2
Taken 3
 
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LOL Kind of disgusting it is. But it just aint as gross as like that movie 8mm with Nick Cage. Both protags are PI's delving into the world of sadistic torture. But 8mm makes you feel sleazy just for watching because I guess everyone wants to actually see the snuff.
 
MadSquabbles500 said:
LOL Kind of disgusting it is. But it just aint as gross as like that movie 8mm with Nick Cage. Both protags are PI's delving into the world of sadistic torture.
Click to expand...

8MM came to mind for me as well. There are definitely some similarities between the two, though 8MM goes farther with the subject matter.

8MM is another movie where I think it has a lot going for it in terms of craft, but Jesus Christ do I feel like I need to take a shower after I watch it.
 
That movie was total shit.

I could only stomach it once, but I remember thinking that they built up the bad guys like they were super human or something.

Then by the end of it, Neeson and his rag tag group of crime fighters band together to take on said super humans.

I also thought the title tried too hard to be edgy/sinister or whatever.

Probably my least favourite Neeson flick ever.
 
HARRISON_3 said:
That movie was total shit.

I could only stomach it once, but I remember thinking that they built up the bad guys like they were super human or something.

Then by the end of it, Neeson and his rag tag group of crime fighters band together to take on said super humans.

I also thought the title tried too hard to be edgy/sinister or whatever.

Probably my least favourite Neeson flick ever.
Click to expand...

Yeah. . . You know how sometimes they say something is greater than the sum of its parts. Well I felt like this film is the opposite; it is lesser than the sum of its parts. Lots of good individual elements but they just don't add up to a genuinely good film.

Out of curiosity, which of the eight films in the OP have you seen?
 
shadow_priest_x said:
Yeah. . . You know how sometimes they say something is greater than the sum of its parts. Well I felt like this film is the opposite; it is lesser than the sum of it's parts. Lots of good individual elements but they just don't add up to a genuinely good film.

Out of curiosity, which of the eight films in the OP have you seen?
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Seen them all except Run All Night, The Commuter, and Taken 3.

Seen parts of Taken 3, but not the whole thing.
 
HARRISON_3 said:
Agreed.

Seen them all except Run All Night, The Commuter, and Taken 3.

Seen parts of Taken 3, but not the whole thing.
Click to expand...

If you tend to like Neeson in general I'd say give Run All Night a look.

What did you think of Non-Stop and Unknown?
 
shadow_priest_x said:
And I'm done. My Liam Neeson thriller film festival concludes with A Walk Among the Tombstones.

I was really hoping to end on a high note, but frankly, I just don't think I liked this one too much. Liam is an ex-cop-turned-unlicensed-private-detective who is hired to investigate the murder of a drug dealer's wife. Turns out she was murdered by these guys who like to rape and torture women.

The problem with just writing this movie off is that it's got so much going for it: A great opening, an effective mood, some really nice cinematography, really solid performances. . . But the story is convoluted, kind of disgusting, and ultimately just not all that interesting.

Much like Unknown, the central mystery takes precedence over Liam Neeson shooting people and kicking the shit out of them, which is fine, but if that's going to be the case then the mystery needs to be compelling, and I just didn't think this one was.

After what I thought was a really great opening scene I thought I was in for a good ride, but it didn't take long before I realized the rest of the film just wasn't going to live up to those first five minutes. And so, reluctantly, I think I have to fail this one.

And that's it. The journey is complete. Eight films, evenly split between ones I ultimately liked and ones that I found disappointing.

I've watched so many Liam Neeson movies in the past couple of weeks that I feel like the motherfucker is my good friend now. Even though I wasn't bowled over by all of these movies, now that he has announced his un-retirement from the action/thriller genre I will be looking forward to whatever he comes up with next. I guess there's a 50/50 chance it will be good.

The final tally:

PASS

Non-Stop
Run All Night
Taken
Unknown

FAIL

The Commuter
A Walk Among the Tombstones
Taken 2
Taken 3
Click to expand...

Man I gotta say

Its upsetting reading these

I never saw it but to think that Liam Neeson can make a bad action movie is depressing
 
A walk amoung the tombstones is sitting at a solid 6.5 on imdb

I had to look it up because i remember really enjoying it. You guys are making it sound like shit
 
TheRuthlessOne said:
Man I gotta say

Its upsetting reading these

I never saw it but to think that Liam Neeson can make a bad action movie is depressing
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Its more of a murder mystery than action

Dont listen to them. Its the best shit ive seen Neeson do for many years.
 
shadow_priest_x said:
Are we? I think I mentioned several positive aspects of the film in the OP. . .
Click to expand...
The entire thread is about your dissapointment in the movie

Basically tells anyone reading this thread not to bother.

I actually enjoyed it so much i was recomending it to people when it first came out.

But yes, you do a good job pointing out the positives. Im just surprised you didnt like it. #shrug#, to each their own


What did you watch it on btw?)l netflix, hbo, ?
 
shadow_priest_x said:
If you tend to like Neeson in general I'd say give Run All Night a look.

What did you think of Non-Stop and Unknown?
Click to expand...

Non-Stop was ok. I never really knew what was gonna happen.

I had high hopes when he was drinking in his car before work, but it was mostly downhill after that.

IIRC, the ending sucked.

I only saw it once.

Unknown was just ok, as well.

I more so just liked the setting in Berlin.

I was on vacation there a few months before I saw the movie, so I thought that part was cool.

The movie itself was just ok.

That one retired old German dude was probably the best part of the movie, IMO.
 
shadow_priest_x said:
"Thriller" I think would be the appropriate genre classification.

Here's a trailer:

Click to expand...


cliche good cop but had an accident and now he works as a PI/Detective/Good guy

That sounds very very familiar lmfao

This is the main character in my science fiction pitch
 
CrimsonFan said:
The entire thread is about your dissapointment in the movie

Basically tells anyone reading this thread not to bother.

I actually enjoyed it so much i was recomending it to people when it first came out.

But yes, you do a good job pointing out the positives. Im just surprised you didnt like it. #shrug#, to each their own


What did you watch it on btw?)l netflix, hbo, ?
Click to expand...

It has a 66% critics score on RT and a 53% audience score. So I would say the film has gotten a mixed reaction. I guess I just happen to be one of the ones on the side that ultimately found it disappointing. Despite the film's positive elements I was struggling to pay attention by the end.

And I watched it on . . . the Internet. That is all that I can say at this time.
 
TheRuthlessOne said:
cliche good cop but had an accident and now he works as a PI/Detective/Good guy

That sounds very very familiar lmfao

This is the main character in my science fiction pitch
Click to expand...

LOL yes. Like we discussed, it's certainly nothing new. So it all comes down to whether you can put a new twist on an old trope.
 
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