Directed by Peter O'Fallen, Suicide Kings follows a group of five men who kidnap at former mob boss Carlo Bartolucci and hold him hostage, demanding for $2 million dollars to save one of the men's sister who's been kidnapped. Complexities and dilemmas ensue between these five men when they struggle to execute their plans accurately. The film reaches the cast of Jay Mohr, Denis Leary, Sean Patrick Flanery, Henry Thomas, Jeremy Sisto, and Johnny Galecki.Upon watching this film, I was expecting to see a neo-noir thriller with suspense and originality. Unfortunately, what we get is an unoriginal and unnecessarily convoluted crime-thriller tries to be a Quentin Tarantino wannabe. The story shamelessly borrows elements from Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, and it fails to execute them with inspiration. When the watch this, you feel like you are watching a remake of Reservoir Dogs with a touch of Pulp Fiction. The five main characters are involved with a kidnapping that goes wrong, then there is the slight non-linear storyline similar to what Tarantino's films are known for. The characters are rather underdeveloped, even Christopher Walken who is the center-stage seems somewhat under constructed. The only candy this film has to offer is some scenes of suspense and tension between the characters. The cast does amazing jobs as their characters, especially Christopher Walken. Other than that, not much else. All in all, Suicide Kings was a bit of a disappointment. Even with its brilliant cast and suspenseful investment, this film fails to come up with anything original.

The premise of Suicide Kings - four young and privileged men kidnap a retired mob boss played by Christopher Walken - is appealing. So much so that it makes me wish it made for a better film.Suicide Kings tries to be a psychological thriller focusing on mental cat-and-mouse games between the mobsters and his kidnappers, and the actors are good enough to pull it off - in fact, they're good enough to make you think that there's any psychological depth to the film, when really there's none. Walken and the talented young cast - Denis Leary, Jay Mohr, Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints), Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) and Henry Thomas (E.T's Elliot all grown up) - all deliver their lines with so much passion and conviction that you almost don't notice how messy and shallow the script really is.This fine group of actors - and Walken's wildly charismatic performance most of all, from an actor so powerful he can dominate the film while being tied to a chair for all but a few minutes of it - is more than enough to make the film entertaining, even very enjoyable. The weak script, which deteriorates into cheap twists and conspiracies towards the end - makes it entirely forgettable. A quick comparison to Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave is a testament to how much more comfortable the British are with theatrical minimalism. With a great director and a great script, Suicide Kings could have been something wonderful. As it is, it's good enough for one pleasurable watch, but leaves no mark and no impression.

This is a great drama that you do not want to miss. A group of friends kidnap a mob kingpin. Their plan is to force him to help them get back the sister of one of them, who has also been kidnapped. Unfortunately they do not plan the kidnapping very well, and eventually things begin to unravel. Two performances make this movie a must-see choice of mine. The first id Christopher Walken. I believe he is a brilliant actor, and he has always been one of my favorites (True Romance, Pulp Fiction, A View To A Kill, etc.) Walken is tied to a wheelchair the entire movie, but absolutely carries the entire film. His intelligence, wit, and determination are amazing to watch. Note especially his reaction when one of the kidnappers gives driving directions. Although he is the victim, there is no question that Walken has the boys in his palm the entire time. Also notable is the performance of Dennis Leary, another favorite actor of mine. As the thug who is working for Walken, he is funny, frightening, and violent. A superb performance much like the character he plays in Underworld, another film I highly recommend. The DVD with the multiple endings is especially enjoyable, but thankfully the director decided to put feel-good BS aside and go with the correct ending. A great drama that anyone is sure to enjoy.

Suicide Kings is a rich cinematic treasure reflecting movies such as The Game, Usual Suspects, Unknown, and L.A. Confidential. Suspense and drama intensify the storyline, and the intensity continues to rise straight toward an ending that you will never see coming. A blend of talent and charisma from dedicated actors ignites the characters to life. The bonds of friendship are put to the ultimate test, and the act of betrayal is delivered as sharp as a razor's edge. And from the beginning to the end, we are held captive, taking a walk "on the dark side of the moon," and watching as the cards fall. And Aces are high, Jokers dance, and Suicide Kings are wild.