larso
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- May 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,565
Michael Caine is an elderly widower living in a squalid housing estate. The area is riddled with gang and drug crime and following the murder of his only friend he goes out to set things right. Caine’s character is an ex-Royal marine and he uses his old military skills to deadly effect. It was interesting though to see how his age was shown to affect some of his reactions and stamina. He is no super-vigilante but he has a trick or two up his sleeve. The strongest element to the film is the bitter bleak portrayal of a housing estate gone to hell. A dull colour wash and jarring use of camera shots set the tone for a gritty, and as far as can be expected in a film, realistic portrayal of a part of society that is absolutely disengaged from anything decent. At times it is hard to follow the working-class dialogue and be warned that the street language here is completely unsanitised (those words always seem to be clear!). Also, the violence and depictions of the criminal underclass make for several very unsettling scenes. The resolution is a bit unlikely but then so is the topic altogether. If you’re into gritty crime stories then it’s likely you’ll find this a largely compelling piece of work. Recommended 3 ¾ stars
