Shot on location in Chicago, Next Of Kin is about a culture clash between two groups that are known for longstanding vendettas. They would be the Sicilian Mafia and the hillbillies of the Appalachians.
Patrick Swayze is one of three brothers of whom the youngest, Bill Paxton, is killed after organized crime takes over a trucking firm he was a driver for. They killed the wrong guy because in addition to being Paxton's brother, Swayze is also a Chicago police detective.
Of course Swayze has to operate within the parameters of the law. That's not the case for the oldest brother Lian Neeson. He comes to Chicago just looking for them that did the deed.
Andreas Katsulas is the Mafia crime family head and he's got an idiot son played by Ben Stiller whom he turns over to enforcer Adam Baldwin to learn the business. Stiller goes right to the top of the criminal food chain with Baldwin when he and Baldwin kill Paxton. But Baldwin is a survivor and he'll do whatever it takes to survive.
The showdown between hillbillies and Mafioso takes place with a cemetery at night serving as the OK Corral. It's quite a battle and justice is served if not the law.
Next Of Kin is your routine action film, but it does have one thing going for it that I have to praise. The hillbillies are real people here, they're not the Clampetts of Beverly Hills nor the mouth breathers from Deliverance. I'm glad that the producers avoided stereotyping them which would have been easy. Swayze is a good action hero and his leading lady is Helen Hunt who as Mrs. Swayze in the film is not given all that much to do.
Fans of the late Patrick Swayze will be very happy with Next Of Kin.
