King of New York

Kind of unbelievable to me that this film isn't more well-known

The style. The lighting. The colors. So much thought and care was put into this. Every shot is gorgeous. And that's without mentioning the intensity, and all of the fun violence, but it's all violence with a purpose. Random people don't die, like most films like this. It's sheer violence at times, but controlled.

Near god damn perfect. Jimmy Jump is kind of an annoying character at times and that's my only turn off. The climactic scene under the bridge is haunting in how intense it is.

This is the perfect late-night movie, it has got a pretty alright story but the cast really makes this film so much better and you do want to know what happens to each of them as the story goes along. Also, if you like gangster films or mob films then you will find yourself pretty entertained as Christopher Walken (Frank White) just makes this film so good and he might be one of the best crime bosses I have seen in a gangster film and dare I say one of his best performances.

Just give it a watch, even if it's just for the cast and just know it isn't original but its really well directed and some really quotable scenes. The ending is a bit of a let down for me but that's my opinion.

Also, Lawrence Fishburne (Jimmy Jump) is over the top in the film but it works soooooo perfectly in my opinion.

The fight for organised crime in New York.

Abel Ferrara's horrendous crime films are the best in the world in terms of realism. In particular, "King of New York" is a standout among Ferrara's less well-received works. The sensation of having peeked into an extraordinary world on first viewing is unforgettable to this day. It is by no means a complete work that can be called a masterpiece, but I personally love this film.

The atmosphere and excellent cast make this movie stand out. But the story is too linear, maybe with 15-30 more minutes the script would have been better.

Filled with all the crime picture cliches you could shake a stick at, yet it's still completely compelling. A lot of that is due to a smart cast and the gritty way New York is portrayed feels authentic. Good stuff.

Shoulda loved it, didn't.

The violent nature of 'King of New York' is its strongest element, though otherwise I found this to be unsatisfying. A lot happens but none of it really clicked for me, while I held very little interest in any of the characters - despite an exceptional cast list.

Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, Steve Buscemi and Giancarlo Esposito are all in there, yet none of their performances shone through to me to be honest. Walken is the obvious standout, though that's only via a process of elimination.

Gritty gangster flicks would usually be my thing, but for some reason this 1990 release disappointed me.

I had great expectations knowing it's considered a classic, especially among the African American community, but it thought it was underwhelming. It's a passable 105 minutes with some fun moments and quotes but I don't see why would anyone watch it more than once. Performances were way over the top.

This is Walking at his greatest!! Movie wasn't so great but he did his thing!!