Contrived and Unrealistic

Rating: 5/10 (4 October 2005)

This is NOT a great film. It contains some startling inaccuracies and is highly far fetched. I have just seen it in a British cinema and like me, many of the audience on occasion groaned at certain scenes. Believe me folks, it is not the most realistic film you will ever see. The supposed London accents are terrible from some of the actors. Worse even than Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins! But the fight scenes are good - action packed and explosive. Elijah Wood puts in a good performance - he doesn't exactly convince as a rough and ready thug, and I have to be honest - I kept expecting him to start hunting for a ring! Its perhaps also a bit out of date. In large part English football (soccer for our American friends) is a very orderly affair these days - this film more accurately depicts the game as it was in the 80s.