Thursday, October 2, 2025

Wrestling Ratings- AEW All Out Toronto (2025)


Location- Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Venue- Scotiabank Arena

Commentary- Excalibur, Taz, & Bryan Danielson 


The Opps (Samoa Joe & Powerhouse Hobbs) VS The WorkHorseMen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)

Winners- The Opps

Rating- 5/10

Daniel Garcia VS Katsuyori Shibata 

Winner- Daniel Garcia

Rating- 5/10

Hologram & The Paragon (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) VS The Frat House (Cole Karter, Griff Garrison, & Preston Vance)

Winners- Hologram & The Paragon

Rating- 5/10

Mina Shirakawa, Harley Cameron, Queen Aminata & Willow Nightingale VS Penelope Ford, Megan Bayne, & Sisters Of Sin (Skye Blue & Julia Hart)

Winners- Queen Aminata, Willow Nightingale, Harley Cameron, & Mina Shirakawa

Rating- 4/10

Adam Copeland & Christian Cage VS FTR

Winners- Edge & Christian

Rating- 8/10

Eddie Kingston VS Big Bill

Winner- Eddie Kingston

Rating- 3/10

Tables ‘n’ Tacks Match- Mark Briscoe VS MJF

Winner- Mark Briscoe

Rating- 8/10

The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, & Toa Liona) VS The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin & MVP)

Winners- The Demand

Rating- 6/10

AEW TBS Championship- Mercedes Mone (Champion) VS Riho

Winner- Mercedes Mone

Rating- 7/10

AEW Unified Championship- Kazuchika Okada (Champion) VS Mascara Dorada VS Konosuke Takeshita 

Winner- Kazuchika Okada

Rating- 7/10

Coffin Match- Jon Moxley VS Darby Allin

Winner- Jon Moxley

Rating- 8/10

AEW Women’s World Championship- Toni Storm (Champion) VS Kris Statlander VS Thekla VS Jamie Hayter

Winner & New AEW Women’s World Champion- Kris Statlander

Rating- 7/10

Four-Way Ladder Match- AEW World Tag Team Championships- Brodido (Champions) VS The Young Bucks VS JetSpeed VS The Don Callis Family (Hechicero & Josh Alexander)

Winners- Brodido

Rating- 8/10

AEW World Championship- Adam Page (Champion) VS Kyle Fletcher  

Winner- Adam Page

Rating- 8/10

Overall Thoughts- Good main event. I never believed Hangman was in any real danger of losing the title, but the match told a good story. Fletcher, the scrappy and cocky young challenger going up against the champ, determined to show everyone he’s exactly where he should be. Some nice heel work from Fletcher (targeting Hangman’s shoulder and ripping off the therapeutical tape), but in the end, Hangman was right: Kyle Fletcher wasn’t ready.

All of the gimmick matches delivered. Mox VS Darby was easily my favorite. It’s exactly the kind of match I’d expect from two known violent and batshit crazy wrestlers. Also, some bonus points for Bryan Danielson helping Darby without getting directly involved in the match, so he could keep his promise.

Statlander winning the AEW Women’s World Championship was the big feel-good moment of the show. Statlander is someone, who’s always been on the cusp of climbing to the top of the mountain, but injuries derailed whatever momentum she had. Statlander finally winning the big one was a nice shocker, because I fully expected Toni Storm to retain. 

Edge and Christian VS FTR? Eh, it was a good match, but they got too caught up in the near falls towards the end. One too many missed opportunities to end the match on a high note for me. Beth Phoenix’s debut, and the role she played after the match was a callback to Edge’s feud with the Judgement Day, where they forced him to watch Rhea Ripley hit a Conchairto on Beth at Extreme Rules. It’s almost impossible to ignore the similarities. We’ll have to wait and see, if Beth’s appearance was a one-off deal. You just know Cope is looking for revenge now, and I’m sure a gimmick match is coming somewhere down the line.

I enjoyed Mercedes VS Riho, but I’m hoping AEW is working towards building up someone, who’s a believable threat to end her title reign. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Mercedes would retain here. But I’m guessing Mercedes surpassing the length of Jade Cargill’s reign is the endgame, so it’ll be a while before she drops the TBS Championship.

As expected, Eddie Kingston had a lot of fire for his big return match. Unfortunately, the match itself was a letdown. A noticeably botched finish, but hopefully the pairing with Hook will lead to something productive for both men. Although, when the H symbol appeared, Hook barely got any kind of reaction at all. It was mostly silence. When Hook walked down the ramp? A lukewarm reception. The pairing of two New York guys definitely has some potential, so there’s a chance Hook will get something out of joining forces with Kingston. 

Jack Perry returning as a face was the right move. His heel character and all of the Scapegoat stuff never worked for me. I always got the impression he was trying way too hard to be a dick. It just wasn’t convincing, but the crowd went nuts for Perry and Luchasaurus joining forces again, so that’s a good sign.

I’m also wondering what’s next for MJF. The guy has been working his ass off recently, so maybe he just needs a break for a while.

Show Highlights-

-Hangman retains

- Kris Statlander wins AEW Women’s World Chanpionship

-Video package showing Luchasaurus’ resurrection

-Pac returns to help Jon Moxley defeat Darby Allin

-Mark Briscoe decisively beats MJF

-Beth Phoenix debuts

-Darby Allin sets Jon Moxley on fire

-Jack Perry returns, reforms Jurassic Express with Luchasaurus

Overall Rating- 8/10

Wrestling Ratings- WWE Wrestlepalooza (2025)

Location- Indianapolis, Indiana

Venue- Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Commentators- Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, & Wade Barrett


John Cena VS Brock Lesnar

Winner- Brock Lesnar

Rating- 3/10

The Vision (Bronson Reed & Bron Breakker) VS The Usos- Special Guest Referee- LA Knight

Winners- The Vision

Rating- 5/10

Vacant Women’s World Championship- Iyo Sky VS Stephanie Vaquer

Winner & New Women’s World Champion- Stephanie Vaquer

Rating- 9/10

CM Punk & AJ Lee VS Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch

Winners- CM Punk & AJ Lee

Rating- 8/10

Undisputed WWE Championship- Cody Rhodes (Champion) VS Drew McIntyre

Winner- Cody Rhodes

Rating- 5/10

Overall Thoughts- We’re in the final stages of Cena’s retirement run….and they open the show with a glorified squash match? I just don’t understand it. They pushed Cena VS Lesnar as the marquee matchup, and this is what they decided to do? But I should’ve known something wasn’t right, when they decided to start off the show with this one.

Cena’s farewell tour was finally going in the right direction, after they abandoned that weird heel turn that just wasn’t working out at all. They were aiming for a callback to the Summerslam 2014 (Michael Cole mentioned it on commentary) match. I get that, but the big difference is, when Brock Lesnar demolished Cena in that match, it was genuinely shocking to see John Cena suffer through a decisive beating. He was manhandled, but this was just disappointing. 

It’s to the point, where you can count Cena’s remaining dates on one hand now. Lesnar has more than enough accolades under his belt at this point, and he’s Brock Freaking Lesnar! I just don’t see the need, or a sense of urgency to make him look invincible, so they can build up momentum for whatever WWE is planning to do with Brock going forward. 

A lot of questions for Paul Heyman introducing Lesnar. Was this just a one-off thing for The Beast and his advocate? Or, is Heyman working on another favor with Lesnar? Survivor Series is coming up, so maybe there’s a chance Lesnar fills the role of a mercenary for The Vision somewhere down the line, as Heyman’s secret weapon.

The tag match between The Vision and The Usos was starting to heat up, but Jey’s freak accident with the chair undoubtedly derailed the final stages of the match. LA Knight stayed true to his character as the special guest ref. Using Knight as the ref was probably the best option to go with. He’s still involved in the storyline, and Knight refusing to raise Reed’s hand was a nice touch.

AJ Lee is back! There’s no denying the match was put together and structured in a way that would benefit Lee, but I still had a blast with this one. No real signs of ring rust on AJ, the entire match was a lot of fun, and the comedy spots were hilarious. Also, Becky Lynch deserves a lot of credit for the build leading up to the match. She was fantastic, playing the annoying and pushy jerk, and the promos with Punk were pretty good. 

Iyo Sky VS Stephanie Vaquer easily takes the top spot for the best match. Sky has a seemingly endless gas tank, and she did a great job of selling the knee injury. A strong match with lots of action, while Sky and Vaquer struggled to get the upper hand on each other, complete with the right winner. Vaquer needed this more than Iyo. Stephanie’s triumphant crowning moment on the main roster was incredible, and Iyo was the right opponent. 

Drew lost again! Cody VS Drew wasn’t bad, but for a world title main event, the match severely lacked any kind of drama or believable tense moments. I never believed Cody was in any real danger of losing the title, and what’s next for Drew? Sure, McIntyre is someone, who will always have the credibility to work main event feuds as a heel, but he lost another big match here. You have to believe Drew is starting at the bottom of the ladder again, and it’ll probably be a long time before he gets anywhere near the top.

Was Wrestlepalooza a bad PLE? No, but with all the hoopla behind WWE’s big debut on ESPN, it’s safe to say Wrestlepalooza didn’t live up to the hype. Triple H’s introduction, a really good opening video package (with LOTS of pyro), and Pat McAffe joined commentary for a while. WWE obviously wanted Wrestlepalooza to be a big deal, but it’s a painfully average show. 

Wrestlepalooza would’ve been a forgettable PLE without the mixed tag and Iyo VS Stephanie. The rest of the card? I just couldn’t shake the feeling that certain matches could’ve happened on Raw or Smackdown. Crown Jewel: Perth is right around the corner. Hopefully Australia is an upgrade over this, because Wrestlepalooza was mostly a big disappointment.

Show Highlights-

-AJ Lee returns to the ring, submits Becky Lynch for the win

-The Undertaker announces Stephanie McMahon is the first inductee for 2026 WWE Hall Of Fame

-Stephanie Vaquer wins Women’s World Championship

-Cody Rhodes retains against Drew McIntyre

Rating- 5/10


Wrestling Ratings- NXT No Mercy (2025)

Location- Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Venue- FTL War Memorial

Commentary- Vic Joseph & Booker T


Je’Von Evans VS Josh Briggs

Winner- Je’Von Evans

Rating-6/10

WWE Women’s Speed Championship- Sol Ruca (Champion) VS Jaida Parker

Winner- Sol Ruca

Rating- 4/10

Weaponized Steel Cage Match- Jordynne Grace VS Blake Monroe 

Winner- Jordynne Grace

Rating- 6/10

NXT North American Championship- Ethan Page (Champion) VS Tavion Heights

Winner- Ethan Page

Rating- 6/10

NXT Women’s Championship- Jacy Jayne (Champion) VS Lola Vice

Winner- Jacy Jane

Rating-7/10

NXT Championship- Oba Femi (Champion) VS Ricky Saints

Winner & New NXT Champion- Ricky Saints

Rating- 6/10

Overall Thoughts- 

Je’Von Evans has IT. The charisma, the human highlight reel potential, and he’s still young. Briggs VS Evans worked as entertaining opening match, with Je’Von fighting through and selling his injuries. The Young OG gutted it out to defeat Briggs, earning a hard-fought victory.

Eh, the Speed Championship is not for me. I couldn’t get into it, when the title was exclusive to X/Twitter, and while you can say it’s a unique concept, Speed title matches are largely forgettable. Lots of shenanigans towards the end, and it looks like we’re getting more of the Lash Legend/Jaida Parker feud. 

I expected more intense hatred, but Blake Monroe VS Jordynne Grace was a fun gimmick match. The pink weapons and the bag of diamonds were perfect fits for Monroe’s character, and Blake used scissors to cut Grace’s hair! Interested to see what’s next for Monroe, and maybe Jordynne resumes her chase for the Women’s Championship?

Jacy VS Lola is my pick for No Mercy’s best match. A hot crowd for Lola Vice, the hometown hero, and a few good bits of drama with the shots of Lola’s family in the front row cheering her on. Vice’s selling for the back injury added to the struggle to defeat Jayne. But the important thing here is, Lola still looked strong after the loss. You could say she would’ve won the title, but Fallon Henley interfered, and Lola was attacked by a mysterious woman dressed in all black. They’re obviously going in the direction for Lola feuding with the mystery attacker, but Vice has a strong case for a rematch. 

A lot of mixed feelings about the main event. Some nice back and forth action, and a solid David VS Goliath struggle, but I expected a stronger ending. Two DDTs in the ring, four total DDTs, if we’re counting the one on the announcer’s table and on the floor outside, and that’s it? I’m not saying it’s a bad finish, but Oba Femi was a dominant, and seemingly unstoppable champion. Yes, you can say the moment itself with Oba losing was a true jaw-dropper, but the closing sequence lacked a lot of fire for Ricky Saints slaying The Ruler Of NXT.

Still, I’m sure Saints will be a good, or potentially great champion. Oba Femi has to be on his way to the main roster now, right? Femi basically conquered all of NXT. There’s nothing left for him to do, and I’m genuinely hoping for a bright future on Raw or Smackdown. The guy has to much potential to be squandered or wasted, so hopefully they’ll have a solid plan in place for him when he arrives.

Show Highlights- 

-Jordynne Grace defeats Blake Monroe

-Ethan Page retains

-El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. sends a message to Ethan Page

-Lash Legend is attacked by Jaida Parker during her promo

-Jacy Jane retains Women’s Championship with help from Fallon Henley and a mystery attacker

-Ava announces NXT VS TNA show

-Ricky Saints dethrones Oba Femi to become the new NXT Champion

Overall Rating- 6/10

Friday, September 26, 2025

The Iceman (2012)(2025 Redo)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Unbeknownst to his wife, Deborah (Winona Ryder), and his daughters, Anabel (McKaley Miller) and Betsy (Megan Sherrill), Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) lives a secret double life as a hitman, working exclusively for Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta). Richard’s relationship with Roy hits a snag, so Richard forms a duo with Robert Pronge (Chris Evans) to fulfill more murder contracts. 

After a botched hit, Richard draws the ire of Leo Merks (Robert Davi), and Richard runs into more problems after threats from an irate Roy Demeo. The arrival of Dominick Provenzano (Eduardo Yanez) further complicates a messy situation, as Richard struggles to keep his family life separate from the seedy underworld of a contract killer and the mafia. 

My Thoughts- Michael Shannon is undoubtedly one of the masters for showing believable rage, and his talents are on full display here, including the tirades, the tantrums, and his facial expressions. Shannon does a phenomenal job of convincing you that Richard Kuklinski is a seemingly normal guy, with a hushed voice on the surface, but he’s also a ticking time bomb, who’s capable of exploding in the blink of an eye. You really get to see how dangerous Richard’s temper is in certain scenes, when his anger slowly reaches a boiling point, because you know something bad is about to happen. 

But there’s another side of Richard. At home, and around his family, Richard is the dedicated husband and a loving father. Michael Shannon nails the family guy side of Richard. Kuklinski was a violent mess of a man, but there’s no denying the fact that he truly loved his family. Shannon also shows a calmer and more normal version of Richard. The first coffee date with Deborah and his speech at Anabel’s birthday party? You won’t see a raging lunatic or The Iceman. No, Richard is socially awkward, and he’s noticeably nervous during both scenes.

Winona Ryder truly delivers a good performance as Deborah. Ryder plays the sweet and innocent wife, but she’s also not afraid to stand up to Richard, to push back, and Deborah calls Richard out on his BS. Shannon and Ryder share believable chemistry together, as a married couple going through their ups and downs. 

The relationship between Deborah and Richard is a strange one. Deborah is the pure and good-hearted woman, who’s married to Richard, the fire-breathing dragon. Richard and Deborah’s marriage adds another emotional layer to the movie, more drama for the good woman, who married a monster with horrible secrets. 

Ray Liotta? He was always a perfect fit for mob or mob related movies. Liotta excelled at playing a jerk, and he delivers as Roy DeMeo, a mean and merciless bastard. John Ventimiglia has a handful of moments as one of DeMeo’s goons. And a thumbs up for David Schwimmer playing the clueless dope, who makes one too many stupid mistakes, as the guy, who just can’t get out of his own way. 

Chris Evans’ Robert Pronge teaming up with Kuklinski adds some dark humor to the movie. Evans’ notable performance as the hitman, who moonlights as an ice cream truck driver is one of the highlights here. Chris Evans knocks it out of the park, because you can easily see Pronge is completely insane. Unlike Richard, Pronge doesn’t have a moral code, none whatsoever. If he has to kill women and children, he will, no questions asked. 

Pronge casually and gleefully talks about freezing dead bodies, how he easily chops up corpses, and Pronge openly brags about the conveniences of murdering people with cyanide. The dynamic between Pronge and Kuklinski adds another sinister layer to the movie, because you’re looking at two extremely dangerous men working together. You could say Pronge is more of a cerebral and crafty assassin, while Richard was a far more direct and brutal killer. As the story progresses, the partnership between the two gets more tense after two botched hits. 

It’s a setup! Dominick Provenzano reveals himself as an undercover agent, and Richard is hauled off to jail for the rest of his life. A surprising ending to Richard’s story? Well, no, it’s not, not at all. Look, even if you don’t know anything about Richard Kuklinski, or his story, hitmen and serial killers don’t have happy endings. SOMETHING bad always happens, when they’re ready to or close to getting out of the life. It’s a tale as old as time itself.

But the big sting operation to end the movie brings the drama. Richard locking eyes with Deborah, as the police car drives off is one moment that sticks out for me. Notice the reactions. Deborah is heartbroken, confused, and she’s completely hysterical. Richard? Stone faced. After he calms down, no tears, he’s not banging on the window, and he doesn’t have any reassuring words for his wife. Why? Well, it’s easy to assume Richard finally accepted his fate. No more hiding, or lies for Deborah, because the truth about who he was, and his second life was going to be exposed soon. 

Fact or fiction? It’s the big question to ask about Richard Kuklinski’s life as a mafia hitman. Did he work for Roy DeMeo? Is Kuklinski’s actual total kill count greatly exaggerated? Did he work for other mafia families? I just finished reading The Ice Man: Confessions Of A Mafia Contract Killer, by Philip Carlo, so I wanted to rewatch The Iceman.

It’s easy to come to the conclusion that Kuklinski was full of shit, or at least mostly full of it. One thing in Carlo’s book that caught my eyes was Kuklinski supposedly being DeMeo’s “secret weapon.” Okay, IF Kuklinski was DeMeo’s big secret, then how is it possible Richard was filling murder contracts with other mafia families, traveling across the US to execute his targets, and his services were requested in Europe and South America? How did other people know about his efficiency, if he shared a tight-lipped relationship with DeMeo? You’re telling me word-of-mouth praises about Kuklinski’s work reached other parts of the world? It doesn’t make any sense. Roy DeMeo and his crew were a pack of vicious and sadistic killers, so why would they need “The Big Guy” to kill people for them? 

And some of the stories about the people Kuklinski allegedly killed are a bit too theatrical and over the top. One good example here is the scene, with James Franco playing a creepy pervert. Marty (Franco) starts begging for God’s help, and Kuklinski tells him he’ll spare his life, if God comes down and intervenes. Well, you could probably guess what happens next, but it’s one of Kuklinski’s more infamous stories about his days as a hitman. 

The hits for high profiled mafia bosses? Kuklinski was supposedly requested to join the hit squads to take out big time mafia bosses. But going by his own words, there was no reason at all for Kuklinski to participate. Why? Because he was a stealthy killer, and they wouldn’t see him coming? Bottom line, his presence wasn’t necessary, and they already had more than enough guns on the scene.

All of the random murders, where Kuklinski killed people to hone his craft, or if someone simply did something to piss him off? Yeah, I have a hard time believing those stories. There’s a story in the book about Kuklinski shooting a hitchhiker, because the guy flipped him off. Kuklinski felt disrespected, so he shot the hitchhiker to death, where anyone could see him.

The funny thing about Philip Carlo’s book is, once you know and start to realize it’s mostly fabricated bullshit, Confessions Of A Mafia Contract Killer reads like a crime fiction novel, or a mafia thriller. I can understand being lucky, but no one is that lucky. The book has numerous stories from Richard about how he killed people, sometimes luring them to their deaths with a flat tire, but over the years, someone would’ve inevitably caught him in the act. 

There’s also a lot to unpack with Richard’s family life. The Iceman definitely leans in the direction of trying to show a more sympathetic tone for Kuklinski. He had a terrible childhood. His father was an abusive asshole, and maybe you could make the argument that Richard never had a chance. 

Well, there’s a lot of truths about Richard’s upbringing. Stanley, his father, was a monster. Kuklinski himself said he should’ve killed him, and he regretted missing the chance to do it. And Richard’s mother, in his own words, was “cancer,” because she was also someone, who could be physically abusive. 

The Iceman tries to paint Richard and Deborah’s marriage as this mushy fairy tale-esque romance, complete with the turmoil and trials and tribulations of any other married couple, but the real story doesn’t fall under the happily ever after tab. 

Richard was violent towards his real wife, Barbara. It didn’t matter if they were in front of their children, or alone in the house, or the same room together, Richard wouldn’t hesitate to fly off the handle and beat Barbara. Also, Kuklinski was a very possessive man. Richard stabbed Barbara with a knife and he threatened to kill her family in the early stages of their relationship, because Barbara was feeling smothered by Richard. His idea of pursuing Barbara revolved around becoming an obsessive stalker, and she couldn’t take it anymore. 

Kuklinski did have two daughters named Merrick and Chris. After everything he did, Merrick still deeply loved her father. But there was a time, where Chris and Barbara plotted to kill Richard together. Chris and Barbara ultimately decided against it, because it was too risky, if they didn’t finish the job. Richard also had a son named Dwayne with Barbara. Only two daughters in The Iceman. No son, no references, or any hints for a third child. It’s no real surprise, but Dwayne was not fond of Richard growing up.

If you’ve ever seen any of the HBO interviews/documentaries, Kuklinski actually comes off as someone that’s possibly credible. Kuklinski calmly sits down, going over the gruesome details of his murders, cracking a sinister grin as he goes every now and then. He was a big guy, and Kuklinski had a cold demeanor. He looked the part, and he played it well. To add to that, Kuklinski was a captivating storyteller. More than capable of having anyone, who listened to him hanging on his every word, Kuklinski’s gory tales checked off all the boxes for true crime lore. 

Of course, there’s always a chance Kuklinski dabbled in mob related activities. Maybe he also filled a handful of murder contracts? Who knows for sure, but everything starts to go off the rails, when Kuklinski’s status as a hitman reaches the levels of an underground legend, with cat-like reflexes, who eluded certain death and law enforcement agencies for years. Tearing off the layers of fiction, Kuklinski was certainly a predator, a serial killer, a crook, and a guy, who also made money from bootlegging porn. And Richard apparently blew a lot of his money, because he was a careless gambling addict. 

But one thing’s for sure, Kuklinski’s story is a perfect fit for a Hollywood movie. What can or what can’t be corroborated, the lies, and all the smoke and mirrors. Sure, you can easily label Richard Kuklinski as a pathological liar. Still, the family man living in the suburbs of New Jersey, while he quietly operates in the shadows as a mafia hitman, is a story that’s capable of raising eyebrows. 

The Iceman plays out like a predictable true crime drama. It moves from point A to point B and so on. And as soon as Richard realizes the big problem with his cyanide from Dominick, you know what’s about to happen. But the cast is simply excellent from top to bottom, including Robert Davi and Stephen Dorff. During Dorff’s first and only appearance in the movie, you’ll immediately know Joesph Kuklinski is a massive slimeball. Joesph Kuklinski never deserved an ounce of sympathy, and rotting in prison was a justified punishment for him.

Lots of violence and a decent amount of blood for the story about an ice-cold killer. Good acting saves The Iceman from being a complete dud. There’s a lot of potential for a truly great film here, but they weirdly settled for going through the motions from start to finish, the kind of movie, where you’ll know what happens before it actually happens.

Rating- 7/10

The Iceman (2012)(2025 Redo)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Unbeknownst to his wife, Deborah (Winona Ryder), and his daughters, Anabel (McKaley Miller) and Betsy (Megan Sherrill), Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) lives a secret double life as a hitman, working exclusively for Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta). Richard’s relationship with Roy hits a snag, so Richard forms a duo with Robert Pronge (Chris Evans) to fulfill more murder contracts. 

After a botched hit, Richard draws the ire of Leo Merks (Robert Davi), and Richard runs into more problems after threats from an irate Roy Demeo. The arrival of Dominick Provenzano (Eduardo Yanez) further complicates a messy situation, as Richard struggles to keep his family life separate from the seedy underworld of a contract killer and the mafia. 

My Thoughts- Michael Shannon is undoubtedly one of the masters for showing believable rage, and his talents are on full display here, including the tirades, the tantrums, and his facial expressions. Shannon does a phenomenal job of convincing you that Richard Kuklinski is a seemingly normal guy, with a hushed voice on the surface, but he’s also a ticking time bomb, who’s capable of exploding in the blink of an eye. You really get to see how dangerous Richard’s temper is in certain scenes, when his anger slowly reaches a boiling point, because you know something bad is about to happen. 

But there’s another side of Richard. At home, and around his family, Richard is the dedicated husband and a loving father. Michael Shannon nails the family guy side of Richard. Kuklinski was a violent mess of a man, but there’s no denying the fact that he truly loved his family. Shannon also shows a calmer and more normal version of Richard. The first coffee date with Deborah and his speech at Anabel’s birthday party? You won’t see a raging lunatic or The Iceman. No, Richard is socially awkward, and he’s noticeably nervous during both scenes.

Winona Ryder truly delivers a good performance as Deborah. Ryder plays the sweet and innocent wife, but she’s also not afraid to stand up to Richard, to push back, and Deborah calls Richard out on his BS. Shannon and Ryder share believable chemistry together, as a married couple going through their ups and downs. 

The relationship between Deborah and Richard is a strange one. Deborah is the pure and good-hearted woman, who’s married to Richard, the fire-breathing dragon. Richard and Deborah’s marriage adds another emotional layer to the movie, more drama for the good woman, who married a monster with horrible secrets. 

Ray Liotta? He was always a perfect fit for mob or mob related movies. Liotta excelled at playing a jerk, and he delivers as Roy DeMeo, a mean and merciless bastard. John Ventimiglia has a handful of moments as one of DeMeo’s goons. And a thumbs up for David Schwimmer playing the clueless dope, who makes one too many stupid mistakes, as the guy, who just can’t get out of his own way. 

Chris Evans’ Robert Pronge teaming up with Kuklinski adds some dark humor to the movie. Evans’ notable performance as the hitman, who moonlights as an ice cream truck driver is one of the highlights here. Chris Evans knocks it out of the park, because you can easily see Pronge is completely insane. Unlike Richard, Pronge doesn’t have a moral code, none whatsoever. If he has to kill women and children, he will, no questions asked.

Pronge casually and gleefully talks about freezing dead bodies, how he easily chops up corpses, and Pronge openly brags about the conveniences of murdering people with cyanide. The dynamic between Pronge and Kuklinski adds another sinister layer to the movie, because you’re looking at two extremely dangerous men working together. You could say Pronge is more of a cerebral and crafty assassin, while Richard was a far more direct and brutal killer. As the story progresses, the partnership between the two gets more tense after two botched hits. 

Fact or fiction? It’s the big question to ask about Richard Kuklinski’s life as a mafia hitman. Did he work for Roy DeMeo? Is Kuklinski’s actual total kill count greatly exaggerated? Did he work for other mafia families? I just finished reading The Ice Man: Confessions Of A Mafia Contract Killer, by Philip Carlo, so I wanted to rewatch The Iceman.

It’s easy to come to the conclusion that Kuklinski was full of shit, or at least mostly full of it. One thing in Carlo’s book that caught my eyes was Kuklinski supposedly being DeMeo’s “secret weapon.” Okay, IF Kuklinski was DeMeo’s big secret, then how is it possible Richard was filling murder contracts with other mafia families, traveling across the US to execute his targets, and his services were requested in Europe and South America? How did other people know about his efficiency, if he shared a tight-lipped relationship with DeMeo? You’re telling me word-of-mouth praises about Kuklinski’s work reached other parts of the world? It doesn’t make any sense. Roy DeMeo and his crew were a pack of vicious and sadistic killers, so why would they need “The Big Guy” to kill people for them?

And some of the stories about the people Kuklinski allegedly killed are a bit too theatrical and over the top. One good example here is the scene, with James Franco playing a creepy pervert. Marty (Franco) starts begging for God’s help, and Kuklinski tells him he’ll spare his life, if God comes down and intervenes. Well, you could probably guess what happens next, but it’s one of Kuklinski’s more infamous stories about his days as a hitman. 

The hits for high profiled mafia bosses? Kuklinski was supposedly requested to join the hit squads to take out big time mafia bosses. But going by his own words, there was no reason at all for Kuklinski to participate. Why? Because he was a stealthy killer, and they wouldn’t see him coming? Bottom line, his presence wasn’t necessary, and they already had more than enough guns on the scene.

All of the random murders, where Kuklinski killed people to hone his craft, or if someone simply did something to piss him off? Yeah, I have a hard time believing those stories. There’s a story in the book about Kuklinski shooting a hitchhiker, because the guy flipped him off. Kuklinski felt disrespected, so he shot the hitchhiker to death, where anyone could see him.

The funny thing about Philip Carlo’s book is, once you know and start to realize it’s mostly fabricated bullshit, Confessions Of A Mafia Contract Killer reads like a crime fiction novel, or a mafia thriller. I can understand being lucky, but no one is that lucky. The book has numerous stories from Richard about how he killed people, sometimes luring them to their deaths with a flat tire, but over the years, someone would’ve inevitably caught him in the act. 

There’s also a lot to unpack with Richard’s family life. The Iceman definitely leans in the direction of trying to show a more sympathetic tone for Kuklinski. He had a terrible childhood. His father was an abusive asshole, and maybe you could make the argument that Richard never had a chance. 

Well, there’s a lot of truths about Richard’s upbringing. Stanley, his father, was a monster. Kuklinski himself said he should’ve killed him, and he regretted missing the chance to do it. And Richard’s mother, in his own words, was “cancer,” because she was also someone, who could be physically abusive. 

The Iceman tries to paint Richard and Deborah’s marriage as this mushy fairy tale-esque romance, complete with the turmoil and trials and tribulations of any other married couple, but the real story doesn’t fall under the happily ever after tab. 

Richard was violent towards his real wife, Barbara. It didn’t matter if they were in front of their children, or alone in the house, or the same room together, Richard wouldn’t hesitate to fly off the handle and beat Barbara. Also, Kuklinski was a very possessive man. Richard stabbed Barbara with a knife and he threatened to kill her family in the early stages of their relationship, because Barbara was feeling smothered by Richard. His idea of pursuing Barbara revolved around becoming an obsessive stalker, and she couldn’t take it anymore. 

Kuklinski did have two daughters named Merrick and Chris. After everything he did, Merrick still deeply loved her father. But there was a time, where Chris and Barbara plotted to kill Richard together. Chris and Barbara ultimately decided against it, because it was too risky, if they didn’t finish the job. Richard also had a son named Dwayne with Barbara. Only two daughters in The Iceman. No son, no references, or any hints for a third child. It’s no real surprise, but Dwayne was not fond of Richard growing up.

If you’ve ever seen any of the HBO interviews/documentaries, Kuklinski actually comes off as someone that’s possibly credible. Kuklinski calmly sits down, going over the gruesome details of his murders, cracking a sinister grin as he goes every now and then. He was a big guy, and Kuklinski had a cold demeanor. He looked the part, and he played it well. To add to that, Kuklinski was a captivating storyteller. More than capable of having anyone, who listened to him hanging on his every word, Kuklinski’s gory tales checked off all the boxes for true crime lore. 

Of course, there’s always a chance Kuklinski dabbled in mob related activities. Maybe he also filled a handful of murder contracts? Who knows for sure, but everything starts to go off the rails, when Kuklinski’s status as a hitman reaches the levels of an underground legend, with cat-like reflexes, who eluded certain death and law enforcement agencies for years. Tearing off the layers of fiction, Kuklinski was certainly a predator, a serial killer, a crook, and a guy, who also made money from bootlegging porn. And Richard apparently blew a lot of his money, because he was a careless gambling addict. 

But one thing’s for sure, Kuklinski’s story is a perfect fit for a Hollywood movie. What can or what can’t be corroborated, the lies, and all the smoke and mirrors. Sure, you can easily label Richard Kuklinski as a pathological liar. Still, the family man living in the suburbs of New Jersey, while he quietly operates in the shadows as a mafia hitman, is a story that’s capable of raising eyebrows. 

The Iceman plays out like a predictable true crime drama. It moves from point A to point B and so on. And as soon as Richard realizes the big problem with his cyanide from Dominick, you know what’s about to happen. But the cast is simply excellent from top to bottom, including Robert Davi and Stephen Dorff. During Dorff’s first and only appearance in the movie, you’ll immediately know Joesph Kuklinski is a massive slimeball. Joesph Kuklinski never deserved an ounce of sympathy, and rotting in prison was a justified punishment for him.

Lots of violence and a decent amount of blood for the story about an ice-cold killer. Good acting saves The Iceman from being a complete dud. There’s a lot of potential for a truly great film here, but they weirdly settled for going through the motions from start to finish, the kind of movie, where you’ll know what happens before it actually happens.

Rating- 7/10



Thursday, September 18, 2025

Character Spotlight- Estelle- Hardcore Henry

 

**This post contains spoilers**

Henry wakes up in a strange high-tech laboratory, that happens to be hovering high in the sky. He’s missing an arm and a leg. His memories and his past? One big blur. And Henry’s being reborn as a super soldier! That’s a lot to deal with, after being unconscious, or frozen in a form cryostasis for a presumably long time.

Luckily, a scientist named Estelle (Haley Bennett) is tasked with Henry’s rehabilitation. She’s going to guide him through this strange journey, and Estelle is also Henry’s wife! 

Henry’s on the road to recovery and a new life, but Akan (Danila Kozlovsky) has other plans. Akan, an evil and powerful telepath, terrorizes and pursues Henry, with some help from his mercenaries. To make matters worse, Akan kidnaps Estelle.

Henry teams up with Jimmy (Sharlto Copley) to storm Akan’s headquarters. It’s a risky mission to stop Akan’s evil plans and rescue Estelle……but Estelle is not Henry’s wife? And she’s actually married to Akan? Imagine risking your life to save someone, because you believed she was your wife, someone, who actually cared about helping you. 

Turns out, not only is she a liar, but she’s married to the enemy. And Estelle is the one, who came up with idea to convince Henry he was her husband. For Estelle, Henry was nothing more than a lab rat for Akan’s field test, because he wanted to see how one of his super soldiers handled  deadly scenarios, testing his true potential.

Haley Bennett deserves a round of applause for her performance. When we’re introduced to Estelle during the opening moments of the movie, it’s easy to buy into her as the innocent scientist, who’s a soothing presence for a scared and confused Henry. She’s the loving and soft-spoken wife, a believable damsel in distress, complete with crocodile tears, and next to Jimmy, she’s supposed to be one of only two people filling the roles for Henry’s support system. 

But things change, when Estelle shows her true colors. Picture this, Henry is on the ground after Akan brutally manhandles him. He’s out of it, broken and beaten down. Guess what Estelle does? She gloats about how her plan was a success, brags about how smart she is, and how she knew Henry was the chosen one, after he pulled her into the escape pod at the laboratory. And Estelle shows absolutely no concern whatsoever for Henry, who’s lying on the ground right in front of her. Man that’s cold. 

Estelle and Akan got a little bit too cocky. They were sure they outsmarted Henry, got the best of him, and they used him for their experiment. Henry served his purpose, so it was time to throw him out like yesterday’s trash. But they didn’t expect Henry to make one last push, and fiercely fight back. All things considered, that’s kind of a weird mindset to have, because Henry killed A LOT of people, with Jimmy popping in to help every now and then. 

Henry took care of Akan, and Estelle had the audacity to beg for mercy? Estelle pleads for Henry’s help, as she’s hanging on by her fingertips outside of the helicopter, urging Henry to listen to his heart. Henry’s response? He slams the door shut on Estelle’s fingers, causing her to fall to her death. A delusional mindset, and insane levels of arrogance from Estelle. Did Estelle really believe Henry would just forgive her after everything she did? And she tried to murder him inside of the helicopter, repeatedly blasting away, one bullet at a time. 

Henry triumphs, and Estelle’s anger and her ego got the best of her. A fitting ending for one half of a husband and wife duo, working together as two diabolical masterminds, who wanted to take over the world.

Character Spotlight- Akan- Hardcore Henry

 

**This post contains spoilers**

A strong telepath, he’s rich, and he’s a sociopathic jerk! Similar to so many evildoers before him, Akan (Danila Kozlovsky) has dreams of world domination. Assisted by his wife, Estelle (Haley Bennett), and his army of super soldiers, a power-hungry Akan is determined to eradicate anyone, who tries to stop him.

Akan is all-powerful. He’s seemingly unstoppable, but Akan has two big problems to worry about: Henry and Jimmy (Sharlto Copley). Henry, Akan’s new and promising star super soldier, impressively passed his field test. Jimmy? Akan’s ex-scientist is motivated by revenge, after Akan crippled him for his failures. Akan should’ve had any easy path to ruling the world, but things didn’t work out that way. 

Akan convincingly thrashed and brutalized Henry during the final battle on the rooftop. But Akan celebrated a little bit too early, giving a rejuvenated Henry an opening to defeat him. Akan was an asshole bully, who enjoyed toying with and pushing Henry around throughout the movie. His ego wouldn’t allow him to believe Henry had a realistic shot at defeating him. Akan FINALLY decided it was time to take things seriously during the fight with Henry, but it was too late. Henry, using the wires connected to one of his eyeballs, to slice off half of Akan’s head? Yikes! Now that’s a gory ending for someone, who truly deserved his comeuppance, in the worst possible ways imaginable. 

You have to give a lot of credit to Danila Kozlovsky, because Akan doesn’t work without his performance. Akan is clearly nuts, a madman with a dark sense of humor, but Kozlovsky never comes off as being too silly. On the surface, you might take one look at Akan, and you’ll think this guy is way too goofy to be the main villain. But Kozlovsky will quickly remind you Akan is an extremely dangerous man, who’s willing to do horrible things to get what he wants. 

Akan should’ve been invincible. Jimmy and his gang of avatars caused a few problems, some inconveniences along the way. But Henry, a super soldier, slowly learning his abilities during a field test, shouldn’t have been a real challenge for him. Henry didn’t just kill Akan, he literally tore him to shreds (with an assist from the rotor blades on the helicopter). Why? Because Akan was too full of himself, and that kind of cocky mindset ultimately led to his downfall.