Suicide Kings **** (1997, Christopher Walken, Denis Leary, Sean Patrick Flanery) – Classic Movie Review 2609

Christopher Walken stars as New York crime boss Charles Bennett, who is kidnapped from his favourite restaurant by four rich boys (Sean Patrick Flanery, Jay Mohr, Jeremy Sisto, Henry Thomas) and awakes to find himself hostage, tied up and minus a finger.

The lads threaten to cut off more of his body parts until he agrees to use his money and connections to track down the kidnappers of the sister of one of the boys (Thomas). His insane hitman (Denis Leary) and attorney move in on the hideaway in Johnny Galecki’s parents’ home with a fistful of violence and dollars.

Director Peter O’Fallon’s 1997 film is a very well-done, carefully made, enjoyably acted and neatly plotted twisting thriller that really satisfies, with plenty of surprises and tension throughout. Walken is excellent, top billed for once, and gives it authority and class. But the entire cast is spot on.

Also in the cast are Laura San Giacomo, Mark Watson, Nina Siemaszko, Jay Fiondella, Nathan Dana, Frank Medrano, James Peter O’Fallon Jr. Nicholas Hutloff, Trent Bross, Cliff De Young, Lisanne Falk, Louis Lombardi, Barry Sherman and Lenny Citarno.

The screenplay by Josh McKinney, Gina Goldman and Wayne Rice is based on the short story The Hostage by Don Stanford.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2609

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com