Prime Video’s Forgotten ’90s Gangster Thriller Deserves To Be As Big as Goodfellas

1990 was an unusually big year for crime movies, and amid Goodfellas and other notable releases King of New York quietly became a cult favorite. Abel Ferrara’s take on a Robin Hood figure in contemporary New York is often viewed more favorably now than on its initial release, and it remains one of his most approachable films.

Christopher Walken stars as Frank White, a powerful crime lord freshly released from prison who plans to go legitimate but first ties up loose ends and takes down rivals. He also intends to donate ill-gotten gains to the downtrodden, creating a tension between violent means and a desire for redemption that runs through the film.

Ferrara’s work is dark and unflinching, and King of New York is no exception: gritty, downbeat, and at one point rated X in the U.S. before an appeal restored an R rating.

United States, New York

king of, new york, abel ferrara, christopher walken, frank white, goodfellas, 1990, gangster thriller, robin hood, x rating