King of New York any good? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Adams]

I love gangster films and I love Christopher Walkin. This is one movie that I have never seen. Why I have not seen it is beyond me but I finally rented it and am going to watch it tonight. Just wanted some of your opinions about the movie.

 

[JonZ]

I saw this a long time ago and remember liking it. Its been awhile though.
Larry Fishburne,Wesley Snipes and David Caruso also star in it.
Actually a firend and I constantly use a quote from this film, but I dont want to offend anyone, so Ill just keep it to myself.

 

[Jeff Adams]

Oops, I was just reading my thread again. Walkin? Who is that? Walken. How dare I spell his name wrong.

 

[Kenneth English]

KING OF NEW YORK is one of the best pre-Tarantino 90s crime movies. It's more flash than substance but has some fantastic acting and one of the best car-chase/shoot-outs I've ever seen.
You can get it online (and B&M) for around $10.00 on DVD. It ain't anamorphic but for that price what the hell...

 

[Todd Terwilliger]

I love King of New York. Fishburne, Walken, and a pre-NYPD Blue David Caruso all log in some great work here.
"Nobody rides for free!"

 

[Jeff Adams]

Cool, can't wait for tonight.

 

[Steve_Ch]

I liked it and probably watched it 2-3 times. The last time was on a rental DVD. Don't remember it being anything memorable, so the sound and transfer is probably nothing to write home about, but nothing that really upset me either.

 

[Jeff Adams]

Well I watched it last night and came away pretty dissapointed. I mean it wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't good either. I am glad that I did not buy it, just rented it because it is a movie that I will most likely not watch again. It was nothing like I tought it was going to be. The cover say's "Where Scarface left off King of New York begins" Not even close, not even the same league. This movie never really went antwhere and made no sense. If I would have went into this movie knowing that it was just pointless violence and really know plot then I might have enjoyed it more.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Well, too bad I didn't see the thread sooner, I would have warned you.
It's rather uneven and choppy script-wise, and a bit tied to the period in which it was made style-wise.
However, I think it contains 4 excellent characters and some great moments.
It's much more of an attitude piece than a solid film, but it has great attitude. I love the film, it made me buy some Schooly D albums, and I own and enjoy the DVD.
But it's no Heat or Goodfellas either.

 

[Seth Paxton]

BTW, there is a point it's just that the film is not well-directed or perhaps written.

The point being that the cops are willing to do horrible things for the "good" cause which makes them the same as Walken. So how do we decide who is right and wrong when Walken has done as much positive for the city as the cops and the only people he hurts are other criminals.

And is that justification enough to satisfy Walken's growing need to be something.

And I always hated that "Scarface" tagline, pretty incorrect and misleading.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

King of New York is a great little crime flick. I watched the whole thing years ago without even knowing the title! Lotsa nasty fun.

 

[Jeff Adams]

Hey Seth, you took the words right out of my mouth. Very choppy and uneven. The movie just did not flow well. It's not that I hated the movie or anything like that, it's just that as you also said, it was poorly written and directed, I think they could have done alot better with the script and cast. I just couldn't take the movie seriously.

 

[Seth Paxton]

This is Abel's 2nd best film. His best is Bad Lieutenant with Keitel playing a corrupt cop who is getting into gambling troubles and is playing every angle he can to stay afloat.
Pair this with Reservoir Dogs which came out the same year to enjoy Harvey's ending moments in both films (which play pretty similar without totally ruining it for you).