The Fall of the Essex Boys

Not one of the best adaptations of the story.

Nothing you haven't seen before in the other versions, apart from the very end (which I won't give away)and the slightly different viewpoint; it almost assumes that you've seen or read the story before and it has the familiar milestones. The acting isn't too bad, but the cutting of the scenes could have been a bit sharper, and the characters could have been introduced better. Again, if you're not familiar with the story, you'll wonder what's happening. It copies some story styles from other movies, but without the same care and finesse. All the versions I've seen and read about portray Tate as a psycho, but they all have the same few stories about him. He was obviously wild, but he doesn't seem to have been prolific in his violence, more of a show-off. It does try to be a quick fire narrative, but it comes across more as a badly edited, amateur production. Disappointing.

There have been three films made about this very case, which in my (not so) humble opinion is at least one too many... and this entry may be the straw that broke the dromedary's back. Hamstrung by a tw*t of a narrator who you want to psychically harm ever time he utters a syllable, and full of drug-snorting losers who can only repeat the C and F words ad infinitum, there is no-one here to care about and consequently, zero reason to keep you watching. Of course, this being a 'lads' movie they throw in a strip joint with plenty of gratuitous nudity for the undiscerning, but you can see more in Nuts magazine every week, so why not get a copy of that instead? Just don't bother trying to find it at the Co-op.

The minor pleasures on offer here include a few scenes of ultra-violence perpetuated by our psychotic 'heroes'... at least you can can't accuse these parts of being dull. And, because this film is set in the mid-90's, the attempts at period detail are interesting... from chunky mobile phones to discussing the O J Simpson trial. Such isolated moments however, are overrun by tiresome kn*bs with annoying accents competing with each other to see who can be the biggest idiot. I think I'll declare a draw. And if another movie company decides to do yet ANOTHER version of this oft-told tale, could they do me a personal favour and... forget it? 4/10

A truly awful film,there are numerous mistakes,Michael Steele is portrayed here as supplying the ecstasy that killed Leah Betts which is completely untrue.Also it relies on imaginary events such as the Essex Boys whacking 3 drug dealers in Amsterdam,anybody who has even a basic knowledge of what happened in Rettendon in 1995 will laugh their heads off,i was simply gobsmacked at how this even got released,it is not even good enough to go straight to DVD.Kierston Wareing was great in previous 'Essex Boys' films but should really have known better,the acting is so over the top and the worst thing for me was the talk over by some idiot trying to sound threatening but actually coming across as a prize chump.

I thought, Not another film about the Rettendon Murders. They say it is the best British Gangster film in years since Lock Stock. May as well watch it. Sounds great!.

What a let down. At first I wasn't sure how long I could listen to the overacted narration of Darren Nichols. Shouting the story line like he was on speed on a football terrace. Then the awful acting started.

Most of the scenes were badly cut and shot and the colour correction and lighting was all over the place. Far too many technical distractions for me to sit and enjoy. Also, what was the casting on? Pat Tate was a mountain of a guy!

Lets hope this is the last film made about the "Essex Boys" and that British gangster films see a new breed of quality actors and directors in the future.

OK...just because you give ten or so people a "Sarfend/Essex" accent it makes them a gangster. Well it don't. Too many films have tried to copy the original Lock, Stock and Two Smoking barrels and failed doing so, this is no exception.

Some of the acting is abysmal, some of them I am sure were just picked off the local bus stops and told to read a script. The running commentary is a "larf" with pseudo Cockney/Essex/Gangster accents, it's almost comical and turned the whole thing into a parody of it's self.

Other than that it is watchable and do like I did and wait for it to be in the bargain bin in your local Tesco for a £3.00!Also for a film post 2012 why the old bangers? Gangsters at least have Audi's and Jags nowadays.....