Vinnie Jones as doting father

Rating: 8/10 (23 July 2007)

I'm not normally one for violent films - the only other one I really liked was "Reservoir Dogs" - but this one was such great fun despite the blood-splatter and the overall nastiness meted out to everybody. The story felt a bit like last man standing, and definitely a mythical look at life in the East End ("EastEnders" being another). But hugely enjoyable to watch and I really didn't care which side would come out left standing and alive. I've always had a bit of a crush on Dexter Fletcher when he was in Derek Jarman's Caravaggio as a 20-something but he hasn't aged well 20 years on. Mind you, neither has Sean Bean, who was also in Caravaggio. But I digress. Sting definitely is a great actor and his eye close ups looked scary and creepy. But the real hero of the story is Vinnie Jones, who as a doting father just made me laugh out loud when chiding his son for using bad language while perpetrating the most sickening violence himself. Totty award: Jason Statham.