brett holmes
this is the first movie inspired by the rattendon range rover murders.the others are (rise of the foot-soldier and bonded by blood) but this one is easily the best. tom Wilkinson is a great actor as he really flexes his acting skills in this movie and so does Sean bean the movie is great from start to finish and will keep anyone who is interested in British crime entertained. NOTE:there is a rape scene in the movie that did make me very nervous on watching the rest of the movie but I'm glad that i did because it really does have a dramatic ending witch did leave me shouting at the TV.if anyone enjoys this movie perhaps you should check out the books and other movies.rise of the foot-soldier is a bit too violent and bloody but is still good.bonded by blood is a little better that rise of the foot-soldier but not as good as Essex boys give it a go!!!
cmwhalen2001-1
O.K. first off, I hated the film but gave it a 7 score which is fairly high - solely because of brilliant performance by Sean Bean.Lots of very graphic rape, domestic violence, battered women get knocked around, horrible stuff, gangsters throw acid into face of guy.If you want to see a similar movie with Sean Bean, but not so disturbing and violent check out "Fools Gold" which is based on the same kind of character, but not as horrifically violent.Really quite sordid. But its based on a true story from real life and very authentic. I also really liked Alex Kingston and Tom Wilkinsons performance. It was Oscar level work from Sean Bean and gosh, I'm sure tired of Bean-o getting typecast in so many sociopathic villain roles - he's sexy to die for and can do all kinds of roles, not just the "Man You Love to Hate" as the baddie villain.This is a visceral, ferocious, raw to the bone, flammable white hot smokin' tour de force performance by the most magnificent Sean Bean. It is a testament to the phenomenal power of his acting that even in a gruesome film which I really loathed, I could watch it to the very bitter end spellbound and mesmerized. Sean Bean could recite the telephone book in Swahili and make it to the level of Sir Laurence Olivier reading Shakespeare.Colleen in California
Craig Whyel
An entertaining work despite trying to do too much.They are trying to do a story based on an actual event then fictionalize it then try to make it in the stylized version of the U.K. gang films.There is an abundance of accents and moments that seem very familiar (as if they've been inspired by other movies).There is no lack of violence, nudity and swerves as required for a gangster picture but in all, I enjoyed watching it.It's not a classic but it's better than a lot of gangster flicks out there.I'm glad I gave it a shot.
sharlyfarley
I didn't really like this movie, but had to admit it was compelling. Sean Bean gives a performance as the evil drug thug that compares favorably (if that's the word I want) with Dennis Hopper's crazed bully in "Blue Velvet." It's outstanding work, but if you're a Sharpe fan (and who isn't?) it may be a bit jarring. I mean, this guy throws acid in faces, beats his wife, laughs at suffering, rapes a teenager and strangles her more or less accidentally. That's in addition to selling the drugs and other criminal activities.Bean is, in fact, so good at being bad, he almost tips the movie over. Alex Kingston and Jim Wilkinson - versatile, dependable and often outstanding actors themselves, do what they can to take a scene away from him, and never quite manage. Charlie Creed-Miles, as the innocent who gets drawn into all this, is quite convincingly intimidated.An icy jazz score and crisp direction keep the story moving along at a brisk pace. You may be repulsed, but you probably won't be bored.
AD
