Frank's Atmospheric and Dark Crime ThrillerScott paid for his budget even before entering the screens - at the stage of purchase by cinemas all over the world for hire. The expressive back of Liam Neeson on the movie poster and the chilling trailer set the bar high for the expectations of the public. A detective story spun around the search for a serial killer maniac would hardly have caused such a stir. But the filmmakers made several win-win moves, pulling this movie to the surface of the sea of such criminal dramas. Some bias in the style of "noir", as well as the selection of actors, made the film "Walk among the graves" very noticeable in its genre.
Staging the plot
The film "Walk among the graves" begins with the scenein a bar that happened a few years before the main events. Scudder, who came to miss the traditional couple of glasses, witnesses the murder of the owner of the establishment, played by Patrick McDade. Taking off, he begins to pursue the attackers and kills one of them. Only in the middle of the film will he tell what kind of tragic accident in this exchange of fire made him write a statement of his own accord and sign up for anonymous alcoholics courses.
Plot plot begins when PeterCristo, played by Boyd Holbrook, asks Scudder to proceed to his brother’s house on a very important matter. Detective reluctantly agrees and arrives. Kenny asks for help finding his wife's killer. But the detective, having learned that he is a drug dealer, refuses at first. Kenny comes to him again and tells the shocking details of the murder. This time, Scudder agrees and takes on the quest.
Scudder attacked
During the investigation, the detective understands:it was far from an isolated case, he came out on two serial maniacs who had long been hunting and killing young women. Moreover, all the victims are somehow connected with the drug business - they are either wives or girlfriends of potions merchants. Their peculiar tactic of punishing dealers for their unjust deeds was that they took hostages and then brutally killed the girls. He is assisted by the cemetery caretaker Jonas Logan, who was executed by Darry Olafsson. He turns out to be an unwitting accomplice in the killing of one of the victims. And whether from the burden of guilt, or from fear of accomplices, commits suicide.
Unexpected culprit
Having unraveled a chain of crimes, Scudder finds outthat Peter Cristo unwittingly initiated them when he handed over his brother to UBN agent Maria Gottensberg. The maniacs he wanted, after killing her, got into their hands files on all the drug barons, including Kenny. Their last goal was a native of Russia, Yuri Landau, whose wife was paralyzed. But he had a fourteen year old daughter Lucy. It was her killer Ray and Albert and stole. But then Scudder entered the game, to whom Yuri turned on the advice of Kenny. Did they manage to free the girl and how this dangerous game ended - see for yourself in the movie “Walk among the graves”.
Characteristics of the main characters
Matt Scudder is a former cop.Because of his addiction to alcohol, he made a rash shot. As a result, he was forced to leave the police. But this did not prevent him from protecting the orphaned and destitute in private. Struggling with the offspring of lawlessness, he simultaneously tries to curb his inner demons. In search of the best in himself, he is helped by a black teenager named TJ, played by Astro. This cheeky, funny youngster dreams of becoming a detective. And Scudder practically takes him as a partner. Kenny Christo, who asked the detective to find the killers of his wife, is a drug dealer who has climbed high on the ladder of financial well-being. Despite his criminal activities, to the character imbued with obvious sympathy. And not only because he tragically lost his beloved wife. But also because it is simply impossible to resist the look of Dan Stevens' clear blue eyes.
Film crew
Quality film make not only actors."Walk among the graves" - the merit of a whole team of producers. In addition to Denis DeVito, Michael Shamberg and Brian Oliver, the list includes 16 more names. The director, he is also the screenwriter, Frank Scott is the author of many successful films, such as “Wolverine”, “Minority Report”, “Marley and Me”. And, of course, we should not forget Lawrence Block, the author of the book on which the film was made. He also took an active part in the writing of the script, and in the selection of actors.
The trump card of the film "Walk among the graves" - Liam Neeson
Путь к славе Нисона был долгим, по меркам Hollywood tempos when young actors become world famous, even too long. The first wide popularity came to him at the age of 41 after a role in the film "Schindler's List". But all subsequent films only multiplied this glory. "Star Wars", "Hidden Threat", "Gangs of New York", "Hostage", "Fight" - Liam confidently settled in the role of the hero of action movies. It seemed that insane energy did not allow him to take on dramatic roles. In this sense, in "Walk among the graves" Nison retreated from the usual image, which pleased his fans a lot. Matthew Scudder doesn’t scamper around the screen, clutching a gun in his hands and saving the world. Neeson tried to deepen his character. We can say with confidence that in the film “Walk among the Graves” Liam Neeson discovered new facets of his talent.
Actors: "Walk among the graves" (2014)
David Harbor and Adam David Thomson compiledbeautiful duet in the role of two ruthless psychopaths. Thomson, apparently, did not have to learn the script at all - for all the screen time allotted to him, he utters only a few sentences. And David Harbor has long proved his unique ability to play crazy maniacs. The astro who portrayed TJ, even against the background of his venerable partner Liam Nisson, did not look pale. He was very successful in the role of aspiring to be independent and invulnerable, but still very lonely teenager. Also very persuasive was Boyd Holbrooke as Peter Kenny. The image of a fallen addict with red, inflamed eyes, hopelessly in love with his brother's wife and secretly envious of his success, turned out to be sewn together.
A small role played by Danny Ortiz in the film MauriceComt, known to the audience on the TV series "Narco." But the most successful supporting role went to the actor who portrayed Yunas Logan’s character. Olalavyur Darry Olafsson almost not removed in American films. Although he was born in Connecticut, he lived all his life in Iceland, where he became one of the most famous actors. He has repeatedly won local awards, and also received a prize at the festival in Karlovy Vary. Invite him to participate in the shooting was a very good idea of Frank Scott. This really strong actor brought a truly tragic line out of the small role of the notorious fat man.
If the film is a success, it makes no sense to disassemble,how well the actors coped with their task. “Walk among the graves” is definitely a very high-quality thriller with its own special atmosphere. And this is the result of the efforts of each member of the crew.
Interesting Facts
Первое появление Мэтью Скаддера на экранах took place in 1986 in the movie "8 million ways to die." Here he played Jeff Bridges. The idea that in the movie “Walk among the graves,” Liam Nisson sang the main role, came to Lawrence Block, the author of the book. When he saw the actor in the role of Michael Collins in the film of the same name, he understood: no one could better embody the image of Matthew Scudder. Dan Stevens for the role of Kenny Cristo had to lose almost 14 kilograms. Initially, director Joe Carnahan took on the book adaptation of Blok’s books, and Harrison Ford was to play the main role in it. It remains now only to dream whose version would be the best.
В книге Блока у Скаддера есть напарник — Джо Dorkin. For some reason, the filmmakers thought that it should be a woman (although this is a man according to the book) and took on this role Ruth Wilson. But when all the scenes with her participation were filmed, Scott Frank decided that the hero Neeson should be a loner, and in the final version of the film we will no longer be able to look at Scadder, who has changed his sex. The names of the three victims are an unequivocal reference to Jesus Christ: Gotteskind means “child of God”, Andersen is “the son of man”, and Christ, in fact, is Christ.
What did the author mean?
The film's slogan reads:"People are not afraid of what is to be afraid." The seed for the thriller is the most successful. But what did the creators get out of it? After watching, many viewers had a question about the moral component of the film idea. Drug dealers who trade in death, put up in it almost goodies. We seem to be told that we should not be afraid of drug dealers, but of psychopaths who steal and cruelly kill their beloved women. No doubt, the addict has some kind of - very elusive - hope that he will be able to heal and become at least outwardly normal person. From under the knife maniac so simply no longer run away. But to oppose such frightening vices in order to choose the least of the two evils seems at least strange.
In this film, all the actors are good without exception. “Walk among the graves” turned out to be exciting, interesting and forcing some things to look at from a different angle.
