Lock Stock and 2 Fight Clubs

Rating: 4/10 (2 March 2005)

I don't speak any other languages. I should, but I don't. My parents are oriental, I took French when I was in school but like the proverbial Teflon pan, nothing sticks. Of course since I speak English I find it fascinating that there are so many dialects of English. In a way that's why I'm interested in these kinds of movies. Through rapid fire Brit-slang and thick accents I can pickup a handful of words that gives just enough context to understand the meaning. Sometimes not.
I was surprised to see that this movie was produced by Rockstar Games, the nice people who brought us such wholesome Playstation2 games as Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt and State of Emergency. No doubt they had some influence in the level of violence, profanity and vulgarity. Kudos to Rockstar! But strangely enough this game really reminds me of the Getaway, a non-R* game. Hmmm.
Clearly, not being from the UK I'm clueless about this whole street-brawling, drug induced, drunken football culture. So this was an interesting window into the lives of people who live to deal and feel pain. In a way I swell with pity for them and if I ever said that to one of them I would also be swelling from multiple blunt force traumas.
As a film I have to say that it's disjoint in the vain of "Lock, Stock" but without a cohesive storyline. The gist of it is about a group of football "hooligans" (that just doesn't sound right for a North American to say), preparing for a gang fight with another group of football "hooligans". Our main character, Tom, has dream premonitions which trouble him greatly but not enough to change any of this responses or behaviors. Again, pity for these people.
Production quality is substandard. Although clear, the picture shows little of post production and reminds me of an episode of Degrasi. Action sequences are the typical jittery jumping around, undoubtedly used to mask actual violence or injury or just to be cool. The slow motion and upbeat techno music segments are pointless and add little considering the picture quality. And generally the music seems like it's pulled from a video game. In fact in a couple of sequences I hear some tunes from GTA3. Finally, the movie is produced by a game company, is it really necessary to mention "Playstation 2" 10 times and SHOW a scene of a guy playing GTA? I think not.
All in all, the subject matter and location would lend itself to a decent film. However, the non-cohesive storyline, poor post-production, and pitiful people we see make this slightly painful to watch. But then again, maybe that's the point.