99 River Street is one of director Phil Karlson's brutal, sweaty excursions into film noir, and it has as many detractors as it has admirers. Certainly, there's a lot to applaud in River, starting with the economical way in which Karlson tells this complicated story. Karlson, as usual, is in love with close-ups, and there's a reason for it: they force the audience to concentrate on the character at hand, to experience his experience in a direct and no-nonsense manner. But cinematographer Franz Planer isn't content to pack everything into the close-ups; he provides some stunning, evocative shots and angles that compliment and enhance the action and the storytelling. Planer and Karlson are especially good with the climactic sequence, which is expertly handled. And the cast, especially John Payne, is in top form. And yet all of this talent and expertise is in pursuit of what is, at base, a rather ordinary story -- and one that, despite Karlson's skill, is still more than a little convoluted. In addition, Karlson's world view may come across as too cynical and/or simplistic for some. Not for every taste, 99 River Street still packs an undeniable wallop.