Maybe it’s because the movie theater marquee has been a dumpster fire for the past month and a half, but “A Walk Among the Tombstones” feels refreshing right now.

There’s nothing particularly original about it, nor is it a great film, but the fact that it’s at all enjoyable and somewhat well-crafted makes it worth seeing if grisly murder mysteries and/or Liam Neeson are appealing to you.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: an alcoholic, retired NYPD officer with a troubled past (Neeson) is dragged back into action to privately investigate a brutal killing spree.

The victims are all women, and their deaths are all a bit gruesome.

So, yeah. “A Walk Among the Tombstones” hits just about every box on the dark murder mystery checklist, for better and for worse. Thanks to a dash of style and solid performances, though, it manages to be a nice two-hour diversion.

Let’s start with the better. The film absolutely nails the kind of atmosphere you want out of something like this. The seedy underbelly of New York City circa 1999 is captured beautifully by cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr., who uses focus and framing effectively throughout the film. Put simply, it’s a looker.

Now, the worst. As I said, every female character in “A Walk Among the Tombstones” exists to be a victim. It’s something that is annoyingly common in the genre and has been for many decades. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t do much to buck the trend.

One thing I greatly appreciated is the conclusion of the story, and I’ll try to explain why without spoiling anything.

Films like this have a tendency to explain the murders with some grand, conspiratorial twist near the end, pulling the tablecloth out from under the viewer. In “A Walk Among the Tombstones,” the killers are established early on, and the film never wavers.

There’s no conspiracy; they’re just awful, sadistic human beings.

Neeson brings an appropriate amount of weight to his character, with a performance that matches what we’ve come to expect from him by now.

 He’s a great actor, so his presence is enough to lift just about anything.

Otherwise, the supporting cast is fine. Brian Bradley’s role as TJ, a homeless teen who takes after Neeson’s character, is the most notable of the bunch.

Some of the best dialogue comes out of his mouth, so it’s sort of a bummer that he isn’t in the film much.

“A Walk Among the Tombstones” is certifiably decent. It’s got a nice look to it, and the story, while unremarkable, stays grounded enough to remain believable.

Also, it thankfully shows a remarkable amount of restraint with its R-rating, leaving the most disturbing aspects of the murders off-screen.

It won’t change anyone’s life, but if this is your thing, go for it.