BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Teringer An Exercise In Nonsense

Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Michelle Ridley The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Predrag It's blend of grim urban landscapes, clever intelligent plot and visceral action puts it miles ahead of almost any other crime movie you care to name, and it can stand with it's head held high as a classic on a par with the greats of the late 80's thru 90's gangster movies era. The characters are richly drawn and morally ambiguous in a fashion that makes it far more realistic than other crime films, as the cops are just as crooked as the gangsters, if not more, and you find yourself rooting for Walken and Fishburne throughout, as main cop Caruso is a nasty vile character despite being on 'the right side of the law'. Speaking of which the acting from the three leads is absolutely fantastic. Walken and Caruso are as charismatic and mesmerizing as ever, but it's the young Fishburne (previous to this, he had had few leads in movies) who amazes as the hip young drug dealer, and almost steals Walken's show. But make no mistake, it is Walken's show. His presence in this movie is riveting, and he manages to make the psychotic Frank believable as a man trying to do right somehow through his twisted system of morals. You don't want to sympathize with him but somehow Walken makes you, and this is the movie's greatest achievement.The cast features major dynamic performances from actors such as Lawrence Fishburne, David Caruso and Wesley Snipes. Fishburne turns in a virtuoso performance, whether gunning down the opposition with a revolver blazing in each hand, or ordering chicken, ribs, fish with tartar sauce and hold the potato salad. Even the smallest roles are vivid, featuring bits from Steve Buscemi, John Tuturro and Paul Calderon, among others. Victor Argo plays Frank's nemesis, tired and honorable Detective Roy Bishop, excellently. Towering over them all is a fascinating, dominating performance by Christopher Walken. He doesn't show much emotion from Frank about anything. Still, "I never killed anybody who didn't deserve it.". He's right, in a queasy kind of way. Walken's Frank White dominates the movie. It's one of Walken's best performances.Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

NateWatchesCoolMovies Abel Ferrara's King Of New York shows a man drawn in by the seedy corridors of grime and filth, entranced by the opportunistic lives of people on the edge of reason and caged in a nasty fight for survival in a city that doesn't forgive or hand out second chances without a heavy cost. I'm talking about both the director, and the knockout lead character he guides through a morose, introspective journey of self destruction. Ferrara has always had a fascination with bottom feeding despair, inlaid with a silver lining of gutter accomplishments and wanton, frenzied attempts by his characters to carve a path for themselves, often when it's already too late for them. Christopher Walken plays Frank White, a once legendary, recently paroled criminal kingpin looking to set up shop again in the mean streets, acting as an urban Robin Hood, redistributing wealth as he sees fit and ruthlessly slaughtering his competition with the flair that only Walken can infuse into a performance. He gives a stinger of a performance, a career highlight of quiet, evil resolve, devilish glee and pondering moodiness, never the protagonist, never the antagonist, always a determined, violent man at odds with his surroundings and incapable of anything but crime. Whether ruthlessly intimidating a rival wise guy, whipping out a gun at two black punks on the subway or generally just generating an undercurrent of unease, Walken is a spectral force to be reckoned with and makes the film his own. Pretty soon some straight arrow cops zero in on him and his organization, including a dogged Victor Argo and a gung ho, reckless David Caruso. Frank throws everything he has at them, marshaled by his second in command Jimmy Jump (a fantastically sleazy Laurence Fishburne, early on in his career before he got all high and mighty). An immanent showdown looms, as it must in any decent crime thriller, but Ferrera ducks expectations with a finale that brings the energy inward for something less explosive and more contemplative, making the dark, sad poetry of it impact the viewer all the more. Rumour has it much of this film was improvised, and one can sense the organic flow of energy in the scenes, the pulse of events and character interactions taking on a startling realism that never feels forced or sensationalistic. Paul Hipp, Wesley Snipes, Janet Julian, Giancarlo Esposito, Paul Calderon, Theresa Randle, Frank Adonis, Vanessa Angel, Roger Smith and Steve Buscemi provide colourful support. One of the essential crime films, a milestone Walken performance, and a surprisingly melancholy vibe that shouldn't be missed.

Jorn Truyen Frank White is a ruthless, almost psychopathic gangster who is just released from prison. Gradually, he establishes himself as King of New York, by, quite simply, wiping out all of his enemies, black as well as white, on both sides of the law. Abel Ferrara's crime drama features Larry Fishburne as leader of a black gang, and David Caruso and Wesley Snipes are cops willing to risk all to bring down White.As far as the acting goes, this is not a bad flick. Christopher Walken was made to play White (cf. his cameo in True Romance), and he delivers it brilliantly with his typical combination of zany quirkiness and deadpan expressions. Fishburne also holds his own with his magnetising and funny performance. These gentlemen add some extent of emotional depth to the film, however to little avail. The rest of the characters are mostly flat characters. This fact, in combination with unsurprising and illogical plot twists, result in a frustrating experience. Indeed, the hard-nosed cops make strange decisions, and the 'rules' of organised crime, if you have watched mafia films or 'The Sopranos', seem to be totally neglected. Therefore, considering the cast and the outset, I weep for the movie that could have been.

LeonLouisRicci This is most likely Director Ferrara's most accessible Movie. Most of his Films are so quirky, offbeat, and personal with an Art-House/Grindhouse dichotomy that doesn't set to well with casual Movie goers. This one, and perhaps Bad Lieutenant (1992), are Crime Thrillers that call in the masses and give them enough style and grit to garner reluctant approval.But not everyone was entertained. Initially this was a dismissed and protested Movie called trashy, indulgent, and reprehensible. That's what made it the Cult Movie it is today. The over abundance of style and uncompromising, lurid appeal that has a staying power and is unforgettable.There is a metaphorically alluring Character in Frank White (is that name Black Enough For Ya) who is a pale-faced, monstrous, Vampyric Robin Hood as charming as the Devil himself. Like Jesus, he hangs with the dregs, in the bad part of town, but can be found at the Plaza Hotel planning his take down of the worst of the worst. Rival Gangs and crooked, selfish Politicians (Money Changers).This is a Great Neo-Noir that exudes an atmosphere of dark blueness. There is virtually no sunlight in this story of Under Worldliness and it has a nightmarish template of Violence, Decadence, and some Dark Philosophy delivered from a likable chilling Gangster.