Trailer Review: The Iceman (2013)

Directed by Ariel Vromen the movie chronicles The Iceman’s career during the sixties and seventies when he worked for the Gambino crime family in New York.

Richard Kuklinski was a notorious contract killer for the mafia. His reign of terror spanned decades and it’s rumored he killed over a hundred men between 1948 and 1986. His methods were brutal and he even claimed to be the one who killed Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa was a well known union leader who mysteriously disappeared in 1975. Kuklinksi was a cunning man. He was able to keep his hit man career a secret from his family and neighbors for years. He was finally arrested in 1986.

In the Iceman, Michael Shannon of Boardwalk Empire fame plays Kuklinski. Shannon is a good actor with a very interesting face and he was a good casting choice for the lead role. The movie chronicles his life and career before he was arrested and convicted. The film also has a good supporting cast made up of some notable actors like Winona Ryder who plays Kuklinski’s wife Deborah, Ray Liotta and Robert Davi who appear as mobsters, Chris Evans, David Schwimmer and James Franco in a surprising role. Most of the action in the film takes place when Kuklinski is middle aged. He is slumming it as a porn movie bootlegger when he is offered a job by Roy Demeo (Ray Liotta) to work as a hit man and mob enforcer. Things start to go downhill when he kills a man but leaves his family alive as witnesses. The Iceman has one rule, he won’t kill women or kids just like Tony Montana. This complicates things for Demeo who doesn’t share the Iceman’s code and trouble ensues. Kuklinski teams up with another guy called Robert Pronge (Chris Evans) and starts doing hits for other families without informing Demeo. This further strains the relationship between Demeo and the Iceman. Now Kuklinski has to avoid having his collar felt by the cops and also dodge bullets from Demeo who is out to get him.

The Iceman should deliver plenty of drama and action for fans of crime movies. With a cast of talented actors and attention to period details the movie looks very interesting. Liotta is well known for his role in Goodfellas and he looks convincing as a ruthless mob boss in The Iceman. Veteran actor Robert Davi is also no stranger to tough guy roles and it is nice to see him acting again here.

It looks like the movie is trying to humanize The Iceman and show that even a cold blooded killer has a line he will not cross. This is a common trope in gangster movies and not much of a surprise. Richard’s family also appear to have a large role in the movie so it won’t be just about killing and macho posturing.

The Iceman will be released on June 7th so check it out.

Have a look at the trailer and tell us what you think.