T2 Trainspotting

It was pleasurably nostalgic to see these characters again. They are so well written and so convincingly brought to life by the amazing cast that they almost feel a part of you.

I awaited the release of T2 with immense anticipation and desperately wanted to see this film. But, despite a significant amount of bias on my part, my honest take was that the premise felt a little forced and contrived.

It was always going to lack the grit, energy, authenticity, depth of meaning and crackerjack dialogue of the original. Part of me feels they should have left the 1996 masterpiece to sit singularly, where it belongs, as the greatest British film of all time.

But then again I can't fault them for attempting to resurrect the story, as Irvine Welsh did. The acting performances aren't as raw, heartfelt or believable as the first and that youthful energy is certainly missing. But it's the screenplay that disappoints in my opinion - it's a little loose, vague and disconnected. I'd even go as far as to describe it as ordinary and unremarkable.

In all fairness, I think these issues were pretty much unavoidable. Following Trainspotting was an impossible task. The film suffers from the universal truth that life becomes more humdrum the older you get, meaning that creating a dynamic storyline was inevitably more challenging.

Even if the original film isn't as dear to you as it is to me, if you watched them back to back it would be pretty obvious that T2 is a failure, sadly.

T2 is all you could hope a sequel can be. Independent and respectful to its predecessor while standing on its own merits as a great movie, art even, powerful maybe. 20 years on things have changed,mostly. It's funny,sad and mature above all else. Boyles directing is complemented with a great script and beautiful cinematography. On to the important aspects, the film plays cleverly With nostalgia without depending on it,giving the audience of the 1996 cult classic something to savor, while also standing independently as an entertaining and even inventive film. Performances are a solid as you'd expect, Robert Carlyle returns in a fantastic albeit expected performance as begbie. The film introduces the advancement in technology over the intervening years with inventive and clever special effects, however the original also boasted some amazing trick of the lens. Finally upon leaving the cinema one gets a feeling of bittersweet and sorrowful fulfillment, the characters we've come to know over the last 20 years hive us nearly two hours of nostalgia packed entertainment, yet one can't help but long for its energetic,frenetic and classic predecessor, no matter how good its sequel is, and it is.

The return of Trainspotting to the screen such a weird bit of timing. The cast are almost all moved on to very successful careers in cinema and television, with a range of big and personal projects between them. Likewise the film sits in a period in the mid-90's where cinema seemed so vibrant with ideas and new directors (most of whom are now the new establishment); so returning to a place with that establishment didn't think it would work - particularly seeing so many big name actors trying to convince as broken shells. It felt like it would be an exercise in looking back, rather than being a new film in and of itself.

I thought this would be a negative, but actually this is what the film does, but it is a strength not a weakness. The film reconnects with the characters, who are all in their different places, some having moved more than others. Regardless though, they are all looking back. Some of them look back with fondness when their violence was at its peak, others feel regret for what little they have to show for life - some putting that on themselves, others putting it into blame on others for closing off options. This sense of hitting a certain age and looking back is universal I think, and it works well here. The base plot is not as good, but this element of nostalgia (fond and regretful) mixes across the film well and carries it through.

It also allows the film to do what it does in terms of style. It references the original film a lot, but thanks to this theme, it doesn't feel like it is trying to replicate it or ride on its coattails, but rather it is a touchpoint for the characters, the cast, the crew, and the viewer. Doing this strengthens that theme. Of course, it also repeats the energy of the original film, with the director/cinematographer very much pushing the style and design. This doesn't work quite as well when sometimes there is not quite the substance to carry it off.

How it would work for younger viewers, or those who have never seen the first film, I don't know. But for me it had the style and energy it needed to keep it all moving, but what worked most was that it took that feeling of a backwards looking film, and made that a strength that ran through the 4th wall from the characters out to the production and to the viewer. It is not a match for the original film but it works very well as a companion piece.

Got to say. I HATED this film the first time I watched it. It wasn't the film I wanted it to be, and it definitely wasnt the film it should have been (Porno) - BUT.

My God I was wrong.

I don't know what changed, or what made me want to give it another go but I'm very glad I did.

The film brings is upto date with the main characters of the first film is such a well thought and done way. None of them have made a particular good job of getting their lives on track, and that's OK. Because, how many of us have?

It's a truly thoughtful look at what it means for a bunch of friends that once meant so much to each other and then lost track and meet up again. The bad vibes are all there, the good memories.

The memories and nostalgia the film evokes within itself is amazing. Spuds role especially, that - That's just pure genius topped with a giant 'I've think I've thought of a title" shaped cherry.

I see many bad reviews of this film, and get it. I really do. I personally told as many people i could to avoid this film if they had any love for the first one.

And now I feel like I've done them a disservice.

Please, give this film a second chance and don't expect it tell you the story you want.

Let it tells its own story because it definitely deserves the chance.

20 years after betraying his friends and running off with (almost) all the money from a scam, Mark Renton is back in Edinburgh. It is his first time back since the events that split him, Spud and Simon apart. He looks up Spud and Simon but their lives are hardly much better than when he last saw them. Spud, after getting his life together, has seen it all unravel, to the point that he is suicidal. Simon is running his father's loss-making pub, in between bouts of blackmail. Meanwhile, the fourth person in their caper of 20 years' ago, the psychotically intense Begbie, is in jail. He has no intention of staying incarcerated and revenge is foremost on his mind...

The original Trainspotting was brilliant. Funny, gritty and harrowing it dealt with the issue of drug addiction in a suffocatingly intense yet humorous way. It wasn't just about drug addiction but friendship and, ultimately, about a crime caper and betrayal.

Directed by Danny Boyle, who directed Trainspotting 1, Trainspotting 2 doesn't have the grimness of the first movie, as the drug addiction side is hardly a factor. For me, that is what made Trainspotting 1 a masterpiece, the way it covered drug addiction in a realistic yet humorous manner. T2 is more about friendship and the after-effects of T1's betrayal, resulting it being more of an action-revenge sort of movie.

Plot is good, though there are some contrivances and inconsistencies. Quite emotional at times too, as we see some loops from T1 closed, friends reunited and 40-somethings taking stock of their lives.

Humour-wise, T2 is great, and as good as, if not better than, T1. Some very funny scenes and dialogue.

Not essential that you've watched T1 to follow and enjoy T2, as there are enough flashbacks and other clues to fill you in on what happened in T1. However, watching T1 before T2 certainly would help the experience. There are plenty of side-references and subtle nods to T1 and these enhance the enjoyment of T2.

Overall, a great movie, though not in the same league as Trainspotting 1. Very funny at times, with a good plot and some interesting themes.