A Walk Among the Tombstones is thankfully not Taken 3. I was seriously concerned this may be the case when I initially saw the trailer. Liam Neeson, kidnapped girl, it seemed like a retread, but far from it. The film is adapted from a series of novels by Lawrence Block. A dark and gritty crime thriller, A Walk Among the Tombstones showcases New York City away from fifth avenue and the glamorous wealth often depicted. It's a bit too methodical in the delivery, but is mysterious enough to hold your attention throughout.

Neeson stars as Matt Scudder, an ex-NYPD detective and recovering alcoholic, circa 1998. Deeply burdened by a tragic event in his past, Scudder works as an unlicensed private investigator. He spends a lonely life scouring the streets by day and in alcoholics anonymous meetings by night. He's approached by a junkie, Howie (Eric Nelson), on behalf of his older brother, Kenny (Dan Stevens); a local drug lord. Someone kidnapped Kenny's wife, he paid the ransom, but she was killed, slaughtered, mutilated, and left for him to find. Kenny wants justice, but can't go to the cops. As Scudder digs deeper, he discovers that other women, involved with drug dealers, have been targeted and murdered horrifically. Along the way he gains an unlikely ally, TJ (Brian 'Astro' Bradley), a homeless teenager with street smarts and computer savvy.

A Walk Among the Tombstones is an old school mystery with modern day violence. It has a deliberate pace that builds like a slow boil. This is a spoiler free review, so I won't get into any details of the plot. I will say that it is refreshing to see a film take its due diligence to reach critical points. Some audience members may find it slow, but I think it is entirely more entertaining to see a detective actually investigating. Neeson spends a lot of time physically walking around. He trudges through parts of New York City that you never see in film. Director and screenwriter Scott Frank takes great pains to show audiences a different part of a city that is often glamorized on film.

The supporting characters in the film are strong. Neeson is even keel, mostly brooding here. It's the ensemble cast that adds the real flavor to the soup. David Harbour, who plays Ray, is particularly good. You'll have to see the film to find out why, but Harbour, who's been around for years as a character actor, does probably his best work here. Audiences will be mixed on TJ. I suppose he can be seen as the token black kid/sidekick that adds humanity, but I bought this character in this context. While integral to the actual crime story, the ancillary plot of Scudder and TJ, two lost souls becoming friends works. Some may find it cheesy, but I'll say its effective.

A Walk Among the Tombstones has a few twists that keep the story humming. When it begins to lag, a curveball is thrown that drags you back into the story. Neeson has been in action mode the past few years. He takes a step away from the bullet and fist barrage with a measured character study. A Walk Among the Tombstones is bloody and violent, but not in a superficial way a la Non Stop or Taken. It is not a ten pages of script and a bang movie. I suspect some people will be disappointed by that and find the film to be borderline tedious.

A Walk Among the Tombstones has its moments and works as a mystery. It is a better than average entry in the serial killer department. I would have trimmed a few scenes of Neeson walking around, but totally understand what the director was trying to do by keeping them.