Liam Neeson's Underrated Action Thriller With 68% On RT Is Now A Streaming Hit

Liam Neeson has starred in plenty of action movie classics, but his underrated 2014 release, A Walk Among the Tombstones, is getting some belated attention as it’s now trending on streaming. Written and directed by Scott Frank, this acclaimed writer has an impressive filmography that includes co-writing scripts for Minority Report, Marley & Me, and Logan.

Liam Neeson reinvented himself as an action star in favorites like Taken and The Grey, hit movies that followed his acclaimed roles in mature dramas such as Schindler’s List and Michael Collins. With A Walk Among the Tombstones standing as a hidden gem in his filmography, it’s great that it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves on streaming.

This 2014 Neo-Noir Thriller Adapted A Novel By Lawrence Block

Liam Neeson in a graveyard in a Walk Among the Tombstones poster

A Walk Among the Tombstones is an impressive addition to Liam Neeson’s action movie resume, as it feels like it balances his more serious dramatic side with his over-the-top hero persona perfectly. With noir undertones, Neeson powerfully embodied alcoholic former NYPD Detective Matt Scudder, who’s hired by a drug kingpin to find the men who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

Writer-director Scott Frank utilized Neeson perfectly in this gritty story of a man with a troubled past who’s not afraid to gaze into the dark abyss of the criminal underworld. While it’s easy to criticize A Walk Among the Tombstones for leaning too heavily into genre cliches, it effectively captured the style and appeal of classic noir stories.

What A Walk Among the Tombstones Belated Success Means

This Is Not The Only Story To Feature Matt Scudder

Although A Walk Among the Tombstones received positive reviews upon release, its legacy hasn’t endured in the same way as other Neeson-led action movies. With Matt Scudder being the protagonist of several novels by Lawrence Block, there’s plenty of franchise potential for this character if a sequel were to be greenlit.

The renewed success of A Walk Among the Tombstones means that plenty of people are encountering Matt Scudder for the first time, and both Frank and Neeson expressed interest in a potential sequel in the past. However, Neeson has also spoken about his desire to retire from action movies entirely, so it’s unlikely he would reprise this role at this stage in his career.

While Neeson never gave a specific date for his final action movie, he previously stated that the end of 2025 could be a good point to call it quits (via Variety.) However, Neeson has upcoming action movies in the works, so it’s not unfeasible to imagine him delaying these plans to allow for an A Walk Among the Tombstones sequel.

Source: FlixPatrol, Variety