The Iceman Reviews

A stone cold, heavy drama based on true events of contracted killer Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) and how he tries to balance his unique career with a family. Shannon, one of the best actors out there, is phenomenal for what he is given, which is not much seeing how two-dimensional his character is and the source material does not really detail the psychosis for why he decides to start killing people, despite some last ditch effort at the very end given in a monologue to the viewer which feels forced. With that said, it is pretty well paced, it is often chilling in terms of the murders committed, and as said the acting is very good, but overall it is missable just because of how genuinely vague it is given why this character is the way he is. Shannon is one of those actors for me that I will see anything he does, but this is definitely one of his least impressive movies from a writing standpoint.

***1/2

Michael Shannon is one weird, creepy actor and he is awesome for it. Here, he is at his creepiest as a serial killer hitman nicknamed The Iceman. Based on a true story, he kills over a hundred people. This isn't so much about his murders(although there are a lot of them). It's more about how he balances his home life as a husband and father of two, with his life as a killer. It's interesting and intense. The supporting cast is great with Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, James Franco, and Chris Evans, who is completely disguised. But this is Shannon's movie. If you enjoyed him in "Take Shelter" or on "Boardwalk Empire", then this is a must watch. I can see him getting award recognition for this. The biggest issue with the movie is the pacing. It's kind of slow and tedious in spots, but overall it's still entertaining. Worth a watch.

A hard-edged instant classic. A powerful, razor-sharp and killer thriller that's filled with grit and energy. A vicious character study as well as an engaging drama that makes you fear and feel for this mesmerizing character that Shannon has brought to the screen. Michael Shannon gives a tour de force performance, it rivals with the likes of Pacino and De Niro. Shannon is incredible to watch and see as he truly embodies this character and crafts a performance that is worthy of awards attention and truly crowns him as a star. The entire cast give impressive performances. Winona Ryder is outstanding, her best performance in years. Ray Liotta is terrific. Chris Evans is excellent. Director, Ariel Vromen crafts a fearless, well-made and outstanding movie. A darkly compelling and unforgettable film that you cant believe is based on a true story. It's truly ones of 2013's finest motion pictures. Movies of this caliber and raw intensity should not be missed and keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end.

I'd anticipated much better, only to get a life story of a criminal along with his efforts to keep his family away from it. Just kept hoping that it'd get better. Unfortunately, the level never rose quite enough to be exceptionally effective. Probably the performances managed to hold the flick together.

Not enough to keep me even remotely entertained. A forgettable movie.

What more can be said about the acting chops of Michael Shannon? Despite being a household name now, he's still happy to deliver supporting roles in the likes of "Mud" and "Man of Steel" while managing to work within the time constraints of television with "Boardwalk Empire". Thankfully though, he's not adverse to the odd leading role and "The Iceman" is the type of film that allows him to fully embrace centre stage.
In the 1960's, Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) was a quiet family man, who secretly worked as a porn lab technician until the New Jersey mob that ran his employment, shut him down and persuaded him to become a contract killer. For decades, Kuklinski would kill over 100 people and gain a reputation for his cold blooded professionalism, meanwhile keeping his wife (Winona Ryder) and kids completely in the dark about where their money came from.
Based on actual events, the story of Kuklinski is quite an intriguing one. This was a man who managed to separate his work and family life for so long that he was clearly a very manipulative and dangerous sociopath.
Much like Kuklinski's victims, though, the film seems strangely lifeless. Most mob films have you on the edge of your seat at least once throughout their running times but "The Iceman" never really manages to do that. Ariel Vorman's direction is flat and he poorly handles the script's leaps in time; relying on consistently changing facial hair as a narrative device. It just doesn't work and as a genre piece, it misses a real opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the similarly themed "Donnie Brasco".
Where the films strengths lie, are in the performances; Mafia boss Roy Demeo, is captured ferociously by Liotta, who seems to be the go-to-guy for mob figures these days, and the likes of Chris Evans impresses in an almost unrecognisable role as Robert "Mr. Freezy" Pronge - another hitman that Kuklinski gets involved with. Added to this, are smaller roles for James Franco, Stephen Dorff and an awkwardly ponytailed and moustachioed, David Schwimmer. Ultimately, though, it's Shannon that keeps this film afloat. Despite a fascinating character, the role is surprisingly underwritten, yet Shannon still manages to deliver a detached and menacing portrayal. Quite simply, without his presence, this would would be just another generic, colour-by-numbers, wannabe.
Good in places but ultimately, it's restrained to the point of monotony. This is a film that had so much potential but squandered it on cliché and rely's too heavily on it's leading actor. Shannon delivers but he doesn't really get anything back for his efforts.

Mark Walker

The Iceman is an intense and well acted biopic of notorious mafia contract killer Richard Kuklinski. Michael Shannon is terrific in the lead role and he on-screen intensity makes this film a stunning film to watch. The film is inaccurate of course, but it is above all a piece of entertainment. The film shows how Kuklinski was ruthless in his methods and was effective in disposing of the victims. This is one of Michael Shannon's most intense performances and he makes the film much better than it actually is. The film also boasts an impressive cast alongside Shannon. Ray Liotta is impressive here as well as James Franco and Chris Evans. This is a dark film that will certainly appeal to crime fans. However it is not accurate and it is clear there were some creative liberties done to the script to make it more thrilling for a viewing audience. I've seen the Iceman interviews and they're quite chilling and graphic details. With this film, viewers can get a glimpse of this notorious hit man, and if they're more interested they can seek out more info on the real Richard Kuklinski. This is a flawed film, but one that is quite entertaining and delivers some intense scenes of mafia hits. The acting is very good, the script is solid enough and the direction is almost immaculate. Give this one a shot; you will be blown away by Michael Shannon's intense performance. This is a worthy crime picture that is sure to please gangster film fans. The film won't be a classic anything time soon, but it is nonetheless a standout film with terrific performances and an engaging storyline.

Michael Shannon's terrific performance makes this film a slightly above average crime biopic.

We're fascinated by hired killers. Chalk it up to morbid curiosity or perhaps perverse, secret wish fulfillment, but we're all titillated a tad by the murderous for hire. The Iceman is all about Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon), who worked as a contract killer for the mob from 1966 to 1988. He's estimated to have killed over 100 people. A mob middleman (Ray Liotta) is impressed that Kuklinski shows no fear with a gun in his face, and so the guy gets hired to rack up the bodies. At the same time, Kuklinski has a wife (Winona Ryder) and two daughters, all of whom have no clue what daddy does for a living until he's finally brought to justice.

The main issue at play with The Iceman is that it's trying to draw out a character study for a rather impenetrable person. It's hard to get a solid read on the character of Richard Kuklinski. The compartmentalizing of these two very distinct lives is a fascinating psychology to explore, one I wish the filmmakers had spent a majority of the screen time upon. The internal justifications, struggles and compromises would make for an excellent and insightful look into the psychology of killer rationalization. However, I don't know if this movie would even be possible from this subject. Kuklinski is by all accounts a pretty detached guy. There just doesn't seem like there's a lot to him. His circumstances are interesting, beaten into an emotionless cipher by his father, brother to a fellow sociopath, and trying to make a reasonable life for himself while keeping his inner urges at bay. The sociopath-tries-to-make-good storyline is reminiscent to fans of TV's Dexter, and there's plenty of room to work there. It's an intriguing contradiction, the man who cares for so little protecting his family. In the end, we don't really get a sense of why beyond the illusion of the American Family that Kuklinski wants to hold onto, to make himself seem normal, to prove to his family he could break free from their influence. Even typing this I feel like I'm giving the film more depth than it actually illustrates. Even though he tries to play the part of devoted family man, we rarely see any evidence of devotion. He provides, yes, puts his kids in private school, but he puts his family at risk and doesn't seem to have affection for them as much as propriety. They are his things and nobody will mess with them. Your guess is as good as mine if he genuinely loves any of them.

Too much of the film gets mired in standard mob clichés. This guy upsets that guy; this guy wants the other guy dead. It all becomes the focal point of the movie, Kuklinski getting caught up in, essentially, office politics. Even the true-life details of the grisly methods of death feel like wasted potential for a better story. He goes on a job, he botches a job, he gets let go, so to speak, he strikes up a new partnership with another contract killer, Mr. Freezy (Chris Evans in a bad wig). That last part could have been a movie unto itself, watching an odd couple of hitmen plan, execute, and then dispose of their targets. The Iceman nickname comes from their process, freezing the dismembered corpses for months so that coroners cannot get a read on when the bodies were slain. While Evans is entertaining, this entire portion of the movie could have been eliminated, its bearing on the plot minimal. Likewise, the movie has several small roles populated by recognizable actors, which become a series of one-scene distractions. Kuklinski goes out on a hit and it's... James Franco. Then there's Friends actor David Schwimmer as a sleazy, ponytailed, nebbish mob screw-up. Stephen Dorff has one moment as Kuklinski's angry, desperate, murderous brother in prison. The actors are all fine, with the exception of Franco, but many of them are just another reminder of the film's disjointed attention.

I mentioned in Pain and Gain the notion of portraying true-life criminals as sympathetic figures, and the queasy nature of this complicit interpretation. The Iceman never really tries to make Kuklinski sympathetic or some form of an antihero, and I think the movie is better for it. One of the earliest moments in the film is Kuklinski slitting the throat of a guy who harassed him, and defamed his lady. This is BEFORE the guy is even hired as a contract killer too. He endangers his family in violent rages, let alone his professional entanglements. It seems like when the guy can't murder he becomes a worse family man. Even in the end, he's testing a new batch of cyanide on the neighborhood cat. The movie presents Kuklinski as he is, though you'll be forgiven for feeling some initial pings of sympathy when you seem him try and protect his family. Granted his family could also very well use protection from him.

Shannon's (Premium Rush) performance is what keeps you watching. There are few actors who are as intense as this guy, though I'm used to seeing him play unhinged psychos bouncing off the walls. Kuklinski is just as troubled as his other roles but he's all reserve, steely nerves, and anger that eventually bubbles over into violent rage. Shannon is still such a good actor that even with a thin character, or at least thin characterization, he can be completely compelling to watch onscreen. One of the more peculiar, inconsistent elements of the film is Shannon's constantly-changing facial hair. I think I lost count at about nine or ten different facial topiary variations. There were times where it will be different in consecutive scenes. I guess that's a tipoff of a time jump, but his morphing, period-appropriate facial hair also became a point of amusement.

What makes The Iceman so disappointing in retrospect is how much potential it seems to squander. There's a great story to be had with a contract killer by night and a family man by day. That contradiction, the struggle, the psychology is all rich material to work with. It's just that Kuklinski is not necessarily that guy; he's not too deep, at least not in this version, and his killer work problems are just not that compelling. If this is what the filmmakers were going to do with their real-life subject, then they might as well have just used Kuklinski as inspiration. Take the best parts and then compose a different lead character, someone more emotionally transparent or relatable or just plain old interesting. Just because it's a real story doesn't mean you're indebted to telling every true facet of it, especially when a better story is within sight. Shannon is a terrific actor and does his best to make the film worth watching, but from distracted plotting to unmet analysis and emotional exploration, it's hard to walk away from The Iceman and not feel a bit chilly.

Nate's Grade: C+

There's no originality in terms of style, but 'The Iceman' is a solid thriller that is mostly carried by Shannon's performance and an intense story. Expect an intriguing movie, but don't expect to be wowed.

Effective but one-dimensional docudrama about the notorious hitman Richard Kuklinski who went to prison in 1986 and died in 2006. Michael Shannon's performance is impressively intense but rather simple.

Based on a true story, The Iceman is a mob film about one of the most notorious hitmen in American history. The story follows Richard Kuklinski, a low-level henchman in the Gambino crime family, as he's recruited to become a hitman and eventual rises to become the top contract killer for the New York crime families; all the while trying to balance a family life as a husband and father. Starring Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, and Chris Evans, the cast is quite strong and gives some very good performances. Additionally, the costumes and sets do an impressive job at creating an authentic look for the different time periods. However, there are some script and pacing issues that make the film seem a bit disjointed. Despite having a few problems, The Iceman is an interesting look into the double life of a mob hitman.

Richard Kuklinski (Shannon) takes a job wiping out the enemies of mob boss Roy Demeo (Liotta), to provide for his wife (Ryder) and two young daughters. He becomes prolific, (Kuklinski's victims are thought to number well over a hundred), seemingly addicted to killing. When Demeo orders him to take a break, Kuklinski becomes increasingly agitated. A chance encounter with a fellow hitman, Mr Freezy (Evans), leads the two to form a partnership, but Kuklinski begins to grow more and more paranoid.

There were two approaches Vromen could have taken with his true life tale of America's most notorious Mafia hitman - film it as a gangster movie or a serial killer flick. He chooses the former, and digs himself into a hole as a result. The gangster movie, with its rise-and-fall structure, relies on a protagonist the audience can envy, if not empathize with. (Think of the charismatic monsters essayed by Cagney and Pacino). Nobody in their right mind would envy Kuklinski's life. It's never even made clear just how much money he's being paid for his handywork. He's certainly not someone we can empathize with. Once we've witnessed him cold-bloodedly murder a homeless man at the movie's start, it's impossible for us to get on his side.
Shannon does a great job with a poorly fleshed out character but he's battling against a badly written script. We learn nothing about this character. Save for an encounter with a pornographer (Franco), in which he questions the existence of God, we don't see him interact with his victims; the killings are relegated to a few quick montages. As his wife, Ryder puts in a good shift but, again, the character is poorly developed, another stereotypical "wife who knew nothing of her husband's work". In the support roles, there's a lot of casting against type. Evans and Schwimmer are unintentionally amusing at times, (more the writer's fault than theirs), all "Joysey" accents and comedy mustaches.
From a dramatic point of view, the film's biggest problem is the lack of an antagonist. We're denied seeing the police investigation into his killings which means the film is devoid of suspense. Think of a 'Columbo' episode. Now think of that episode without 'Columbo'. That's 'The Iceman'.

I've always been interested in New Jersey's notorious serial killer Richard Kuklinski (known as The Iceman). He was a killer for the mafia who practiced brutal methods of murder on his over 200 victims (the film claims over 100, but it was estimated that he killed over 200). One of those methods was tying up men in caves and allowing rats to eat him alive while he videotaped it. He was known for using cyanide and knives on most of his victims, yet in the film, he is shown using mostly guns (Kuklinski stated in one of his interviews that he didn't like to use guns). The film also did not show how the cops figured out Kuklinski was freezing the bodies (one of the frozen bodies he left on the side of the road was not thawed out long enough). I felt like the film was only half as brutal as he actually was, as a murderer. Michael Shannon did a fantastic job of portraying him; while he may not look like him in his younger days, he looks very similar to him in his later interviews and in voice as well. I wouldn't be surprised if Shannon was nominated for an Oscar for his role. Winona Ryder is also great as his wife, and Chris Evans is great as his partner Robert Pronge. It seems like Ray Liotta is the default mafia leader at this point in his career, and it was actually a little distracting that he played out that stereotype the exact same way, yet again. I also felt very little for any of the characters, which was a little disappointing. At 105 minutes, I think the film should have been longer as well; there were too many big aspects of Kuklinski's life that weren't covered including his childhood, his introduction to killing, and the various methods of homicide he practiced. On the good side, the ending was powerful, there was an amazing scene where Kuklinski and Pronge murder a guy in the middle of a dance floor, and of course Michael Shannon himself. Overall, I felt like a lot more could have been done on the writing side, but Shannon was just enough to save the film from completely collapsing.

Based on contract killer Richard Kuklinski, suspected for the murder of more than 100 men, The Iceman is both an effective character study, and a compelling mafia thriller. It is never short of fascinating, and is made by a truly exceptional performance from Michael Shannon.
It is, without question, Shannon's performance that makes The Iceman well worth taking in. Shannon's characteristic brooding intensity and enigmatic exterior is served very well here, giving Kuklinski a marked depth, yet a sort of nefarious simplicity that makes him all the more terrifying; he simply does not care. Shannon channels this intensity to a stunning effect, every scene is focused on him, if just because of his mere presence. The complexity he is able to convey, and how he conforms to the environments and situations he's placed in, make it a truly compelling character study as well.
The script and film do a good job giving us a narrative and strong story without resorting to constant historical markers that many semi-biographical films do, while also giving us a clear sense of how his rise to infamy happened. The script, however, does seem to get a bit muddled, perhaps even rushed, in its middle to latter act, as the pace quickens quite a bit, resulting in certain elements of the film not being well served. Chris Evans as Mr. Freezy, for example, brings a rather interesting dynamic, yet this is never fully fleshed out.
As a whole, The Iceman never ceases to engage with its audience, and offers an intelligent and undeniably compelling character study.

4/5 Stars

This grim crime thriller directed by Ariel Vromen is based on the life of notorious Mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski. The movie premiered in 2012 at the Venice Film Festival and stars Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans and Ray Liotta. Superb acting, and it is shame that after screening at the 2012 Telluride Film Festival and the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival , this film received a limited release in cinemas in the United States.

It is a sadly cruel true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man. He killed over 100 people, and when finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters had any clue about his real profession. The film is anchored by a searing, incredibly intense performance by Michael Shannon, whose remorselessness as a hit man is as relentless as Shannon's portrayal of him. Most of the actors were perfectly cast: Kuklinski boss Roy Demeo (Ray Liotta), sidekicks Josh Rosenthal (David Schwimmer) and Mickey Scicoli (John Ventimiglia), his wife, Deborah (Winona Ryder), and the real Iceman Mr. Freezy (Chris Evans) because he drives an ice-cream truck (whose storage unit has room for more than just frozen desserts).

Engaging to the end, this movie will make you get a feeling very much similar to some of the more nihilistic crime movies of the 70's, and that's why it was a great surprise. Maybe it's not for everyone, but if you like a real crime drama - here is something new and a little bit different!

The Iceman proves itself to be a worthy contender in the category of modern day thrillers, especially due to its artistic flair. The cool tones that wrap this movie up, ranging from olive greens, steel blues and autumn leaf browns, leave a warm sensation around the main character, Richard Kuklinski, who is anything but. Many thrillers try to be a little too slick both in story telling, editing and even cinematography, so it feels too artificial. The Iceman, however, feels like there was a lot of hard work put into it, and through that it feels much more humanistic. I was reminded a lot of Road To Perdition, actually, with The Iceman's pastel colours and well placed shots. Ariel Vromen successfully takes you back to a few decades ago with ease, and it wasn't just because of the feel of the movie.

The acting for the most part ranged from good to phenomenal, and the latter is mostly in part due to Michael Shannon's unflinching performance as an explosive serial killer who cares about very little in life. If anything, the movie is worth seeing just for him, but thankfully there is more to the movie than him. However, make no mistake, Michael Shannon is slowly paving his way to become one of the more important actors of our time, and with The Iceman, he channels the great mob movies of the past through minimalism and necessary explosion. Many actors could have failed to achieve the sense of feeling emotionless through nothing more than under acting or even not acting at all, but Shannon proves that you can always pick up something no matter what character you play. Most of the other actors do a good job as well, ranging from Winona Ryder's great attempt to slowly sneak her way back into the hearts of critics and movie goers, Ray Liotta doing what he does best and being an intimidating jerk with an iron fist, and a surprisingly great performance by Chris Evans who may not have stepped so far outside of his usual self until now.

The directing for the most part was outstanding, as almost every mood and emotion used was the right one, and almost every line spoken, no matter by whom, was spoken with the right accent, the right tone and the right feel. The movie had a nice, consistent tone that shimmered at all times, reminding us just what kind of a movie The Iceman truly is. Like Kuklinski and those he works with, however, the film, surprisingly with a lot of heart put into it, may have had a bit too much heart at times.

What I mean by this is that, while it is fantastic that a thriller is based so heavily on emotions and on a well paced feeling throughout, it may be based on it a bit too much. It ends a bit too quickly than it should, as if it couldn't hang onto itself and simply said "You want what you waited for? Here!", something the main character may have done with his short temper. Instead of lagging out the scenes, a few more flash backs could have been placed to keep it a relevant theme and to help the film stay on course just a little bit more. You only see one five second glimpse at Kuklinski's child hood, and while we got the message instantly just through this, maybe a little more insight could have helped the film a bit more. We're told and barely shown why Kuklinski is so lifeless, but a little bit more information could have made the climax of the film instantly more heart pounding.

Also, despite him trying his hardest and somehow not doing a bad job, it is just really awkward seeing David Schwimmer in this kind of a film. A number of us would laugh in the film every time he was even on screen just because of how out of place he seemed. Definitely a bizarre casting choice, and because the film had its own really smart and quick comic relief, particularly done by Kuklinski, even if Schwimmer was just there to lighten the mood just by sitting there, he wasn't needed. Still, he tried his hardest and still did an alright job, but it's still noteworthy when someone or something takes you out of the film in a bad way.

Overall, The Iceman is a pretty good thriller. It may not rank amongst the best of the best in its genre, but it does well as a modern day thriller thanks to its believability (for the most part) and its attention to detail. Had it had a little bit of patience with itself and let Shannon do all of the short tempered exploding rather than itself, the film may have escalated itself to the grande film it set out to be. While I wouldn't say it falls short or end abruptly, it just needed some fine tuning here and there. Shannon's performance is not to be missed, however, even until the very second where the movie is given a last minute second wind right at its final seconds, reminding you that, hey, acting can be so powerful that you may feel sympathetic for a guy who has boasted about killing over a hundred people. The Iceman should be seen for Shannon, for Ryder and Liotta finally having biggish roles that are well done, for Evans breaking out of his shell, and for a look into Vromen's possible future as an auteur film maker.

Final Rating: 7.7/10

If you are a fan of Michael Shannon, pop this sucker in the DVD player and enjoy acting at its finest. This guy is a terror on screen. No matter what he is doing, Shannon always goes full throttle in front of the camera. A pretty decent supporting cast, but surprisingly, Ariel Vromen pays very little attention to them. This is clearly a movie written solely for the purpose of portraying The Iceman. There could have been a great mafia gangster movie here, and it has the chops to be just that from about 30 minutes in till about 15 minutes to the end. However, the direction of where this film goes takes too long for the audience to grasp before you are like, 'Ohhhh okay that's what this movie is about." The three and a half star rating is 3 stars Shannon, half star everything else. Stone cold.

Michael Shannon is irrevocably one of the best actors of his generation, nailing his nuanced performances in every role that he takes. "The Iceman" is no different. With a harden face and killer glare, Shannon plays real life contract killer Richard Kuklinski and from the family man to the murdering man, you believe Shannon in this role. "The Iceman" also carries some other unexpected performances, especially from Winona Ryder, who looks better than ever, as well as Chris Evans, who delivers another highlight performance. Although the film trudges on with little direction and a been-here-done-that mentality, Michael Shannon gives this film the punctuation that it needs and becomes more of a character study than a thrilling drama.