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Patrick Swayze, Liam Neeson, Adam Baldwin, Helen Hunt, Andreas Katsulas ... see more see more... , Michael J. Pollard , Bill Paxton , Ben Stiller , Ted Levine , Del Close , Valentino Cimo , Paul Greco , Vincent Guastaferro , Paul Herman , Jane Alderman , Tina Engel , Anouk Ferjac , Neil Giuntoli , Brett Hadley , Rodney Hatfield , Don Herion , Don James , Jean Marais , Charles Millot , Sally Murphy , Lisa Niemi , Tim Quill , Joseph R. Ryan , Richard Wharton , Michael Wise , Michel Amphoux , Patrick Balch , Andrena Belcher , Mary Ann Berkhart , Kelly Blair , Billy Branch , Kim Cole , Fred Crowther , Michael di Zonno , Roland Dubillard , Celene Evans , Bernard Farcy , Mia Ferro , Starla Fugate , Keela Gootee , Nancy Jeffrey , Jack Kandel , Arlene Lencioni , Lew Way Chin , Morgan Biscomb Melto , Al Neal , Diane Niederman , Marie Palmieri , Joelle Pasquale , Pamela Prater , Jean Ritchie , Ivan Romeuf , Elizabeth Ruf , Michael Sassone , Serge Ubrette , Jane Watts , Relioues Webb , Charlie Williams , Shelley Andreas , Mindy Marin , Mark Roberts

When his brother is murdered, a policeman is caught between his devotion to the law and his family's desire for revenge in this action drama. Patrick Swayze plays Truman Gates, who left his backwoods ... read more read more...Appalachian home for life as a Chicago police officer. When his brother is killed by a gangster, Truman is determined to seek legal retribution. His older brother Briar (Liam Neeson) has different ideas, however, and travels to the city to seek old-fashioned vigilante justice. Truman must now choose between his family's belief in mountain justice and the duties of his job. Though the film is not particularly action-packed, director John Irvin does provide the expected gunplay and macho confrontations. However, despite a surprisingly distinguished cast (also including Helen Hunt and Michael J. Pollard), little distinguishes the film from numerous other revenge stories with a similar outline. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Flixster Users

54% liked it

9,150 ratings

Critics

43% liked it

7 critics

R, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: John Irvin

Release Date: October 20, 1989

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DVD Release Date: October 20, 1998

Stats: 297 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (297)

  • FilmFanatik
    December 27, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    Swayze returns along with the likes of Liam Neeson to kick ass Southern-style in the big city in this revenge tail.
  • cosmo313
    October 18, 2009
    cosmo313
    This is a vey predictable yet moderately entertaining story of a hillbilly family in a feud against a mob family. It really is as silly and ridiculous as it sounds, but the 80's camp and cheesiness factors and the fact that Liam Neeson is at his scenery chewing best as one of the... read more hillbillies make this an ok movie to watch when nothing else is on.
  • deano
    July 23, 2009
    deano
    This action movie isn't too bad, but it is not particularly action-packed, director John Irvin does provide the expected gunplay and macho confrontations. However, despite a surprisingly distinguished cast (also including Helen Hunt and Michael J. Pollard), little distinguishes t... read morehe film from numerous other revenge stories with a similar outline. This action film is full of action and has some great fight scenes. Daniel Baldwin is great as the villian and look for a young Ben Stiller before he hit his prime.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    February 8, 2009
    cancercapricorn2002
    Director John Irvin must have a real passion for mob movies. He tries his best in both Schwarzenegger's Raw Deal and a few years later with Patrick Swayze's Next of Kin to create a violent, good action film but make it passionate and dramatic and all about crime family vs crime f... read moreamily. However with Next of Kin he must have fine tuned some of the mistakes from the rather slow moving Raw Deal. Next of Kin is a much better film and perhaps a big part of that is the strong cast of future stars Next of Kin carries. Liam Neeson, Helen Hunt, Ben Stiller, Bill Paxton, and even Patrick Swayze who was really at the height of his career in this film...between Dirty Dancing and Ghost.

    Next of Kin takes a rather liberal view at a group of people not normally dealt with in films...mountain people...or hillbillies if you will. Swayze plays a former country boy who moved to the big city, became a cop, married his love, and is now urbanized himself. His little brother who aims to follow up in his footsteps ends up getting himself murdered by the crime family, Isabella. The rest of his "kin" want Swayze to avenge the death but Swayze is determined to let justice take it's course. Again, much like Raw Deal, Next of Kin is about vengeance and anger and it all bottles up until one big explosion of revenge in the end. The big difference is that Next of Kin stays interesting through the whole movie right up to and including the end and still has some really great action scenes to boot.

    The cast as previously mentioned is very well done fortunately for Mr. Irvin. Swayze plays a convincing cop and mountain boy and him and Helen Hunt have decent chemistry for their brief on screen moments. Adam Baldwin as the blood thirsty villain does a good job (not as good his later performance in Joss Whedon's Serenity (aka Firefly) as Jayne but he is convincing as the bad guy. Ben Stiller's brief role is also quite good as the smarter villain but he doesn't last long. Overall Next of Kin is a decent entry in the eighties action genre. It has it's moments and is worth checking out for those full of nostalgia.
  • tgingles71
    October 11, 2011
    tgingles71
    Great all around movie with a very strong message on family and what you will do to protect them. Excellent example of finding the limit and when and where to cross it.
  • tippermoose
    June 5, 2009
    tippermoose
    Great family movie, this is how family should stick together!






    Great movie, this is how family should stick together.
  • bradwest
    December 31, 2008
    bradwest
    Hillbillies vs. the mob. Shows you where Patrick Swayze was in his career then. For Liam, this was a far cry from Excalibur.
  • rageofsadako2008
    December 23, 2008
    rageofsadako2008
    Hillbillies take on the mob. That's really all you need to know in order to come to the conclusion this one of the best movies ever. Number two in the Swayze cannon for sheer brilliance.
  • Benbfresh
    January 15, 2008
    Benbfresh
    If he wasn't in roadhouse he would never have had the idea he was a hard ass and could have been a blessing for us all... but they had to make this didn't they
  • anotherwhitemeat
    January 6, 2008
    anotherwhitemeat
    Anything with Swayze as an action hero is worth seeing once. When Bill Paxton is his brother, it's worth owning.

View All Next of Kin Reviews

Critic Reviews

Luke Y. Thompson
May 7, 2003
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

A bunch of rednecks get mad and seek revenge. If that sounds good to you, have at it.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
October 9, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
July 21, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

John Esther
August 21, 2003
John Esther, Pasadena Weekly

No review available.

Jules Brenner
August 4, 2003
Jules Brenner, Cinema Signals

No review available.

Philip Martin
July 30, 2002
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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  • What movie doesnt have Kurt Russell in it ?  Answer »
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