Rise of the Footsoldier Review

"Rise of the Footsoldier" reviews

Movie

Rise of the Footsoldier

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-09-07 14:40:32

Provider

MRIB

Review

The Gilbey brothers Julian and Ryan's debut feature, Rollin' With The Nines, was that rarity in British film: a gangster drama aimed squarely at the lad mag market that won critical acclaim and even a Best Newcomer Bafta for director Julian.

In a world where the British film industry stood for something, rather than standing for anything, it would've been a stepping stone to something more expansive; instead all we get is another crime drama of such staggering one-dimensional cliche it should bury the boys' career, along with the three Essex villains whose real life actions in the infamous Rettenden Lane murders are being loosely dramatised here.

Rise Of The Footsoldier follows Carlton Leach's (Ricci Harnett) progress from '70s football hooligan through to '80s bouncer and rave 'entrepreneur', or drug dealer as they're more commonly known. Though he's borderline psychotic, violent, unfaithful and charmless, he's Nelson Mandela besides close accomplices Pat Tate (Craig Fairbrass) and Tony Tucker (Terry Stone).

Where Rollin' With The Nines dished out the regular with some verve and flair, ...Footsoldier is a weary trudge through gangland cliche that looks as bored as the viewer will feel as yet another torture scene leaves them wincing in pain, but for all the wrong reasons. If Rise Of The Footsoldier was given either a tax break or arts subsidy, we should all be asking for a rebate.

Copyright © MRIB 2007.