A Walk Among The Tombstones

Ratings: 6.0/10

Film Class: C

Genre: Thriller

I didn't think it would be that literal. Liam Neeson, did indeed in the movie, walk among the tombstones in a cemetery. But there's probably a double meaning to that, referring to his so called boy sidekick who hung around Liam Neeson and his clients, drug traffickers. A whole bunch of them. Liam Neeson, a retired cop turned private investigator met the homeless boy in a library while trying to dig up more info for his new client, a drug trafficker whose kidnapped wife was chopped up into pieces despite having paid the ransom. And that was when the homeless boy gradually became his sidekick, and had "a walk among the tombstones (soon-to-be-killed company/dead man walking)".

The selling factor was no doubt Liam Neeson, and while I eagerly waited to see him in action in his stereotyped kick-ass solemn role, it failed this time. Even the so-called villains weren't that fearful. The pace of the plot was slow and draggy. Lack of action, and there was just too much unnecessary dialogue. There were too little "powerful" villains, it was simply a hunt for 2 psychopaths who goes around abducting unsuspecting girls and women, and slicing them up despite having receiving their ransoms. The way they chose their victims were also rather slip-shod.

*spoilers ahead* I mean they targeted drug traffickers cos they had money, and how the psychopaths even got hold of that info was because they killed an undercover DEA (drug enforcement administration) agent. The plan was rather random, motivation superficially disconnected. It was first disclosed that they were "not human", which kinda set the expectations for Hannibal-like killers. Then there was cutting off of boobs (sick, I know), and wrapped up body parts (double gross) despite having been paid. It would seem obvious from the description but when it came to that last victim, money seemed to be their main motivation. That's what I don't get. Are they psychopaths or just greedy sickos? I mean do psychopaths actually want money? Shouldn't they go around killing others for no good reason whatsoever? 

There's where I feel there's a disconnect. Perhaps my definition of psychopaths have been warped by the countless thrillers I've caught, but if the 2 abductors were indeed in it for the money, then they really suck at covering their tracks. Their modus operandi was too shallow, driving around in a conspicuous van under a company that's not registered in that area and abducting victims in broad daylight (mostly). Furthermore there was totally no mention as to how they spent those random money.

I sure hope the novel that it's based on doesn't fare that badly on the "holey" part. I do get the main idea, redemption. But everything else was like a pile of swaying jenga - full of holes stacked up with wooden blocks (brainless)... Oh wait, oh wait... perhaps there's a 3rd interpretation to the movie title - The audience are the ones supposed to make that walk, that walk among the tombstones, with brainless zombies...