Liam Neeson Fan? Then Take "A Walk Among The Tombstones" And Bask In His Awesomeness

   

 
 As summer fades away allowing fall to slither in, and in the wake of a handful of big summer blockbusters, we begin to experience that transition period into the winter months and the big films that usually open during that time. However, that doesn't mean that in between now and then there aren't any good films to see. This last week, the Liam Neeson starring crime drama "A Walk Among the Tombstones" joins the 2014 club, and does so with stoic awesomeness. In my book, Liam Neeson can do no wrong. He has become one of Hollywood's most valuable action stars, taking on roles that one might think he was merely type-cast for, but in retrospect are right in his wheelhouse. He's played the complicated, dark, flawed man's man so well that it's not boring when we see the similarities in his characters.

   "A Walk Among the Tombstones" is a refreshing take on the detective/crime drama. Neeson plays Matthew Scudder, a former police detective turned private investigator. When Scudder is hired by a drug kingpin to investigate the disappearance of his wife, he discovers a much more sinister and twisted plot thickening before him. This movie is dark, cold, tension-filled, and has one of the most disturbing plots I've seen in a crime drama. On the surface, "A Walk Among the Tombstones" has everything you would expect from a crime drama. Scudder has a past that fuels his detective drive. We see that throughout the film has he tracts down suspects and follows leads. The film does a great job at keeping the audience sitting on the edge of their seats, continually guessing, only to find they were totally wrong. I love when a twisted drama doesn't allow the audience to figure out the crime before the film reveals the truth, (too many do). The sinister nature behind the perpetrators is creepy, twisted and real, and their motives come from a place that's disturbingly relatable. The whole film has a level of realism that adds to the uncomfortable nature the victims find themselves in. It's hard not to be invested with them, as well as Scudder as he goes about his investigation.

   I said it earlier and I'll say it again, Liam Neeson can do no wrong. He owns the stoic, dark, sullen agent type character. It's amazing, maybe even a little disturbing how well he can portray such level of emotion into a single scene. We've seen this time and time again in the likes of "Taken" and "The Grey" (which I feel is one of the best films he's been in). Like a fine wine, Neeson just seems to get better with age. It's no secret that he's no spring chicken, but the guy can hold his own when it comes to "physical acting", putting as much effort and intensity into his action scenes as he does into the rest of his performances. Playing the light comedic relief in this somber film is the young Brian "Astro" Bradley as the wandering detective wannabe TJ. TJ is a kid on the streets, a product of his environment who wants desperately to be more like the likes of Dick Tracy, or even Scudder. The relationship between TJ and Scudder is a simple one, growing slowly throughout the films, giving the audience a few subtle comedic breaths between the tension and suspense. David Harbour and Adam David Thompson make fascinatingly disturbing serial killers, delivering the chills each time they're seen. Most of the suspense is induced through the psychotic mindset and actions of the serial killers, so a tip of the hat to Thompson and Harbour.

   If you're a Liam Neeson fan, check this one out. Although calmer than the likes of "Taken" or "Non-Stop", "A Walk Among the Tombstones" is an awesome crime drama that will leave you shaken. It's disturbing, it's intense, it's somber...

...much like a walk among tombstones would be like.

(See what I did there? *slight elbow jab with a raised eyebrow*)