Grade: D
There’s an adage that is associated with cinema, among other forms of media: “You’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all.”
For better or worse, that phrase is pretty accurate for the most part.
Whether it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger , Will Ferrell or, god forbid, Michael Bay , you know what you’re getting as soon as you walk in the theater.
Liam Neeson can also be included on that list, as “A Walk Among the Tombstones,” his latest film, validates that claim.
Neeson stars in the film “A Walk Among the Tombstones” as an ex-cop-turned-private-eye named Matt Scudder , who is contacted by a local drug trafficker requesting his services to track down the people who murdered his wife.
As Scudder digs further into the grim and filth of New York City, he comes to the realization that this crime is no mere coincidence and could lead to something more sinister.
Based on the Lawrence Block novel of the same name, the film is an amalgamation of “No Country For Old Men,” “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Man on Fire,” minus the subtle psychological and emotional effect, dread and tension of the former two, as well as the gripping motivation for revenge and resolve of the latter, exaggerations aside.
This is the result of writer/director Scott Frank’s indecisive, awkward tonal shifts, ham-fisted writing and flat, one-dimensional performances with a lackluster climax as an added bonus.
That being said, there are some moments that evoke an ominous, intrusive atmosphere, undeniably credited to the surprisingly exceptional cinematography.
The use of shadows, framing and appropriate editing complement the film’s more intense moments and make the anticipation for what happens next almost palpable.
Unfortunately, these moments are too few and are thoroughly wasted by the aforementioned problems the film suffers from.
Referring to the phrase above, this is another Neeson outing, which is usually not a bad string of words when aligned with the actor.
Whether he’s punching wolves in the face (“The Grey,” and no, that isn’t hyperbole), saving his daughter from sex traffickers (“Taken” ), saving his wife from said traffickers (“Taken 2”) or saving an airplane (“Non-Stop” ), you can always expect an exaggerated, yet somehow subtle, enjoyable performance from Neeson.
“A Walk Among the Tombstones” is an exception (see: flat, one-dimensional).
The most damning thing about “A Walk Among the Tombstones” is that it achieves a goal that no film, let alone any form of entertainment, should reach for. It’s bland.
If this film were to be described as an edible substance, it would be like eating a rice cake sandwich made out of cardboard with a Styrofoam salad on the side.
That part is somewhat hyperbolic, but you get the idea.
Forgettable, formulaic and dull, just like an unmarked grave. How ironic.
