The Iceman

THE ICEMAN

Director : Ariel Vromen

Year : 2013

Genre : Thriller

Rating : ***

 

'The Iceman' is the based on the life of Richard Kuklinski, one of the most notorious assassins in United States history who murdered over 100 to 250 men during his time working for the mafia in the 1950's, 60's and 1970's. Directed by Israeli born Ariel Vromen and starring Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans and David Schwimmer, 'The Iceman' is an intriguing and shocking film that is suitably violent and intense but is weighed down by stereotypical characterisations and a clichéd and cumbersome screenplay. However, at the heart of the film is an astonishingly intense performance by Michael Shannon, a number of  brilliantly violent and memorable set pieces and a fantastic supporting player in the form of an almost unrecognisable Chris Evans as a bloodthirsty and psychotic ice cream man.

Before becoming a mafia hit man, Richard Kuklinski was a caring and loving husband and father. Fiercely devoted to his family, he was a sociable and kind man who would regularly play pool and have a drink with his friends. But underneath the smiles and embraces lay a maelstrom of violence and anger just waiting to break out. His job was as an editor of cheap and sleazy pornographic movies for the Gambino's, a vicious crime family and  when he misses the deadline for distribution one day, he is dragged away and asked to take a ride with them. To show his commitment to the Gambino's, Kuklinski is told to murder an innocent tramp living on the side of the road and when he reluctantly does so, he is made the chief hitman for the family. By constantly varying his methods of execution, he makes it virtually impossible for the police to assemble an accurate profile of the killer and for 3 decades, Kuklinski murders his way to a vast fortune and to the top of the FBI's most wanted list. It is only in 1986 when he is finally arrested that his wife and children are finally told the truth about Kuklinski's blood soaked past.

For a film about the true story of one of the most notorious serial killers in history, 'The Iceman' is a pretty basic and standard biopic. Despite a brilliant performance by the formidable Michael Shannon, the film is a rather unmemorable affair that never seems to elevate past it's source material. Director Ariel Vromen clearly has an eye for detail and intensity but clearly cares more about the violence depicted on screen rather than the characterisations and the screenplay. Known for his movies 'Jewel Of The Nile' and 'Danika', Vromen  has shown that he can direct luscious and interesting productions, but unfortunately, 'The Iceman' doesn't fall into this category. Yes, there are a number of memorable set pieces and there are moments of wince inducing violence and brutality, but the film is a film of moments and specific scenes rather than a narrative driven story. However, it is shot beautifully by cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, who with the help of a startling use of lighting and framing is able to evoke the noir aesthetic of David Fincher's 'Se7en' as well as the torture porn sheen of 'Hostel'. Maybe if the script and characterisations had been given as much thought as the cinematography and mise en scene, 'The Iceman' would be so much more.

From his paranoid performance in the brilliant 'Take Shelter' to his intense acting style in the fun 'Premium Rush', Michael Shannon has become known as one of the most dynamic and formidable actors working in movies today. With his chiselled looks, scarred face and piercing eyes, he is able to bring a frightening seriousness and devotion to his parts that many actors just wouldn't  be able to achieve. Here he shines as the terrifying Kuklinski, whose quiet and calm exterior hides a dormant volcano of anger and vengeance. In many ways, 'The Iceman' is comparable to 'Henry : Portrait Of A Serial Killer' as both films show us that even the quietest and most unresponsive people have a dark undercurrent and cruel desires which are dying to burst out. However, what Michael Shannon brings to the role of Kuklinski is a twitchy personality which indicates that a violent moment is about to happen.  This increases the intensity of the performance and to me, brings one of the most unpredictable and unnerving serial killers ever to grace the silver screen.

Unfortunately while Shannon brings his all to the lead character, the supporting cast is rather a dull and lifeless bunch. Winona Ryder is rather weak as Kuklinski's oblivious wife and the gang members including Ray Liotta, (who plays the same villainous character as he does in every other movie) and Robert Davi are the stereotypical hard types that we have seen in any number of motion pictures. However, Chris Evans is brilliantly twisted as a psychotic ice cream man who develops a partnership with Kuklinski and whose lust for blood is just as strong as the hitmans. Using increasingly gory and shocking ways to dispose of bodies, Evans' characterisation is more outwardly insane than Kuklinski's cold and heartless exterior and these two dichotomies contrast well together. Known for his roles in comic book movies such as 'Fantastic 4' and 'Captain America : The First Avenger', Evans may be the last person you think of when casting a psychotic madman. However, he plays the part extremely well and as a result, may bring him darker and more intense roles in the future. 

Despite it's problems (of which there are many), 'The Iceman' is an entertaining and suitably shocking film that will satisfy any horror fans lust for gore and wince inducing violence. With a brilliant performance by Michael Shannon and gorgeous cinematography, 'The Iceman' is sure to win a number of awards next year. However, the film hasn't been advertised or distributed well and as a result, I have a bad feeling that 'The Iceman' will not perform well at the box office over the next few weeks. It is a long, drawn out film that will bore younger viewers and will definitely divide audiences due to it's brutal and graphic nature. For me, while instantly forgettable, 'The Iceman' is worth a watch if not just for the tornadic cyclone that is Michael Shannon and the strangely odd casting choice of Chris Evans.