Watch: New Trailer For Hitman Thriller 'The Iceman' Starring Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta & More

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by Kevin Jagernauth
January 15, 2013 7:14 PM
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There is no doubt that Michael Shannon can play menacing -- he'll put it to blockbuster effect this summer as General Zod in "Man Of Steel" -- and it seems filmmakers are eager to harness that intensity. That's certainly true with "The Iceman," the starry hitman flick that hit the festival circuit last fall but has been quiet ever since. But with a spring release date around the corner, Millenium Entertainment have turned a light back onto the picture as they gear up to get it out.

In the based-on-a-true-story film, Shannon plays Richard Kuklinski, one of the most notorious mob hitmen, who lived the life of a family man, while claiming over 100 kills over the a span of two decades. All seems to be going well until he leaves a witness behind, earning the ire of mob boss Ray Liotta, and soon he's on the run and/or protecting his family. To be certain, you can't argue with a cast that includes Chris Evans, James Franco and Winona Ryder and the dedication to facial hair in all its forms is admirable, but it all seems like something we've seen before.

From our man at the Venice Film Festival last year, that seemed to be case, and he wrote in his review: "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."