Liam Neeson has made a brand name for himself with his tough guy character honed in such films as Taken and Non-Stop. The loner, hard bitten, fearless gun man is a very believable image for him. Director and writer Scott Frank (who also wrote The Wolverine, Marley & M and The Lookout) based this film on a novel of the same name by Lawrence Block. It's kind of a perfect movie for the end of September which is not known for opening memorable flicks. This is a nice intense, well paced mystery that keeps the creepy factor up and rounds it up with street justice prevailing.
The story takes place in 1999 a few years after a tragic shoot out that caused Matthew Scudder (Neeson) to quit his job on the police force and enter Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. Now he works as a unlicensed private detective who does favors for gifts by his clients. One AA meeting member druggie Peter (Boyd Holbrook) asks Scudder to help his brother Kenny (Dan Stevens) . His wife was kidnapped for ransom. He paid the ransom, but they killed his wife in a most gruesome manner. He wants Scudder to bring him the men responsible. Scudder figures out the guy is drug trafficker and at first says now. Events change his mind as he discovers that it may be the job of sexual sadist serial killers.
The film is drenched in a muted pallet of colors feeling like fall, dreary and cold. The victims are lighted in bright colors to emphasize the horror that befalls them. As Scudder uncovers clues by using his police skills questioning everyone and anyone that may have witnessed the kidnappings, he also encounters members of the DEA who seem to be watching some of the same people. Added to the mix is a street kid he meets at the library who decides that Scudder is now is role model. TJ (Brian “Astro” Bradley) ingratiates himself into becoming Scudder's associate giving Scudder some emotional background. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson gives some interesting moments as the cemetery groundskeeper that gives Scudder some hard information.
This is a hard-boiled detective with noir roots. The gender based violence by the unrepentant sadists who delight in torturing their victims seems to be there only to make the expected revenge to be the only solution. No reason as to why these guys are doing this and vague speculations on how they are choosing the women outside of just because they are crazy. Plus the plot a little too muddled at times with the tenants of the 12-Step program running in the background. Other than that, this is a good adult thriller that will keep one's interest until the very end.
(Review by reesa)
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