The Iceman Reviews

It's never a painful watch, more of a faintly dull, seen-it-all-before one. If nothing else, it's evidence that these days, being based on a true story isn't enough to elevate a film in a well-worn genre ahead of the pack.

Full Review | Original Score: C

Michael Shannon has no interior to play with, since the film seems intent on ridding Richie of any emotion other than love for his family, and also no catharsis to build toward.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4

It's as though they were in a rush to get so much killing in that they forgot all of the important elements that would make us care. As a consequence, a fascinating story and character have been flattened and turned into a hurried mess.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5

Lack of originality and insipid screenwriting will soon read as the autopsy of this actively tiresome genre.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

This biopic sounds like a perfect vehicle for Shannon, who's come to specialize in playing psychopaths, but it doesn't give him much to work with.

Full Review

A movie that doesn't work as well as you might think it should.

Full Review | Original Score: C+

In the end, The Iceman seems like a missed opportunity, as Shannon's authority as the lead is undeniably tantalising.

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Suspect barnets aside, there's not a lot to take away from this by-the-numbers genre piece.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

"The Iceman's" problem rests instead with the script, which the director wrote with Morgan Land, his collaborator on the "Rx" screenplay. It never gets underneath Kuklinski's skin in a way that illuminates the psychosis.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

Vromen's period detail-slathered film (read: much unfortunate facial hair) exhausts itself trying to jam in as many cliches as possible.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5

A nagging question looms over the entire endeavor: Do you care?

Full Review | Original Score: C-

An exploitation film trapped in the stifling body of a respectable crime drama.

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With his chiseled-from-granite brow and harrowing, coiled-spring intensity, Michael Shannon is one of those actors who can make just about any movie interesting. And he has his work cut out for him in The Iceman ...

Full Review | Original Score: B-

The Iceman is like a gangster's cold locker: all the nutritive items have been taken out to make room for the dead bodies.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

A misguided, clichéd hitman flick that careens tonally and doesn't really justify its existence. It doesn't work as thriller or as drama, serving as little more than a performance piece for its talented star.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5.0

Even the always-watchable Shannon can't give much life to Kuklinski's two-dimensional presence: he's little more than a series of murders and pained looks.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

The script is so straight-ahead, and Shannon's performance is so forceful, that The Iceman doesn't offer any real insight into this monster, but if you just want to glimpse a character capable of genuine evil, it's effectively chilling.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4

Sordid story glorifying an intensely ferocious, unrepentant, despicable man.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10

A sketchy, flatly directed biopic based on one of the most compelling true crime stories out of New Jersey ...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4

There's not much style here, beyond the uniformly good acting, and even less of a point.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4