Action packed thriller the film A Walk Among the Tombstones has been released on Blu-ray and DVD and also available in a combo pack. The movie takes you on a rollercoaster mystery ride that keeps the suspense going till the very end. Nicely written, directed and acted its perfect entertainment for adults after the kids are asleep.
It’s New York City 1991 and Detective Matt Scudder and his partner are on a stakeout outside a bar. Matt gets tired of waiting so he goes into the bar for a drink. While there two men come in and argue with the bar tender and shoot him. A chase pursues through crowded streets and a subway with Matt killing both of the men in the end. Flash forward 1999 and Matt has left the force due to his alcohol problem and has gone independent as a private eye for hire. One night at a coffee house he’s approached by Peter a member of his AA group. He asks Matt to go with him to see his brother Kenny who need his help to find the men who kidnapped his wife. So begins a story of violence, pursuit and retaliation.
There are very few actors that can handle a hard-hitting character like Scudder and give the kind of performance that we see in Liam Neeson. He has a tough skinned reputation as seen in films like the Taken series, The Grey and Non-Stop to name a few. When director Scott Frank puts the actor in the shoes of Scudder, Neeson brings his A-game to the screen showing the detective’s ferocity and quick handed response to the antagonists he faces. It’s this kind of acting that makes a film like A Walk Among the Tombstones work.
The Blu-ray Combo pack has a couple of good extras that are worth watching, but only after you have seen the film of course as they are filled with spoilers.
BONUS FEATUES:
“A Look Behind the Tombstones” is included on both the Blu-ray and DVD. Producers, the director and Liam Neeson talk about the making of the film including characters, locations and other aspects of creating A Walk Among the Tombstones.
“Matt Scudder: Private Eye” is the more creative extra and is found only on the Blu-ray. Lawrence Block, author of the book series, Scott Frank, director and screenwriter, Liam Neeson and producers talk about the diverse character. They give insight to the tough detective who lives with the nightmares of his profession.
The video quality of the Blu-ray is extremely good and translates nicely from the big screen onto the 16×9 television screen. The aspect ratio of 2.40:1 however, has space top and bottom in order to show the full content that was shown in theaters.
The audio quality featuring either the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 available on the Blu-ray or the Dolby Digital 5.1 on the DVD come across very good on my television speakers or my upgraded speaker system. I found no distortion and was able to hear all dialogue clean and clear.
A Walk Among the Tombstones has been rated R by the MPAA for strong violence, disturbing images, language and brief nudity. The scenes of peril and physical violence may be a bit much for the meek so be sure watch the film prior to allowing immature children of any age to see the film.
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, Sebastian Roche, Brian “Astro” Bradley, David Harbour, Adam David Thompson
Director: Scott Frank
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, disturbing images, language and brief nudity
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Running Time: 1 hr 53 min
Video Release Date: January 13, 2015
Original Film Release Date: September 19, 2014
Language: English
Format: Blu-ray/DVD and Combo Pack
Audio: Blu-ray-DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DVD-Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Number of Discs: 2 Discs
Distributed by: Universal Home Entertainment
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
