It is the story of a former drug man who returned from prison. This man tries to start his mission of eliminating every competitor and distributing the profits of his operations to the poor.
Ferrara's dangerous vision of the city at night goes beyond what most creampuff directors are capable of; he gets to the core of everything from the silent, dark windows of towering penthouses to the vicious rattling of crime-ridden subways.
Ferrara began to be taken more seriously by critics with this operatic crime film, which was shown at the NY Film Festival, where it elicited walkouts (including helmer's wife) along with praise.
Walken is one of the few undeniably charismatic male villains of recent years; he can generate a snakelike charm that makes his worst characters the most memorable, and here he operates on pure style.
Containing performances and and an attitude that is gleefully over-the-top, it's a bit of good fun.
sbs.is
April 24, 2008
walken is cool as ever
Variety
March 26, 2009
Complementing Walken's bravura turn are equally flamboyant performances by David Caruso as the young Irish cop out to destroy Walken, and Larry Fishburne as Walken's slightly crazy aide-de-camp.
