We Still Kill the Old Way

Very rough, very realistic, very British.

It started strong and could have been a great revenge story. Unfortunately, the script and the directing messed up the second part, when the story lost its 'line'.

Disappointing final with a mass shooting in a hospital(!). Why filmmakers have so much trouble with consisting endings, here, why not tracing the villains step by step and giving them what they deserve? Instead the worst of the gang died graciously fast by a police bullet.

A central part of the story is completely incomprehensible: the daughter of the police women being the devote sex object of the guy who is the scum of the earth; without the mother having any idea? Come on!

Still an entertaining movie, though the topic is somewhat given away.

This was a recommendation and a movie I'd certainly never had watched otherwise. Not only do I generally dislike British cinema but I hate any "Gangster" related nonsense especially such low rent stuff like this.

It's a revenge tale, a bunch of old school gangsters seeking retribution against young hoodlums who take the life of one their own. On paper this movie stood absolutely no chance with me, but it does have redeeming features.

It's paced perfectly, it's wonderfully constructed and the 4 veterans do a fantastic job especially Ogilvy and Cosmo. It succeeds in making you absolutely detest the antagonists, to levels I haven't seen since Eden Lake (2008).

But on the flipside our heroes are also villians, it's difficult rooting for a side when essentially it's bad vs bad. I don't care if the youth are more obnoxious, in the grand scheme of things I'm sure the protagonists have considerably more blood under their nails. Much like the critically acclaimed Attack the Block (2011), you expect me to cheer on these wretches just because the opposition is worse?

And more? It suffers with the same problem as Eden Lake. Namely, it's too real. What I mean by that is chav scum and youth gangs are rife, you see them to some extent daily regardless of where you are in the country and quite frankly I don't want to see them in movies as well. The first 10 minutes of the film made me deeply uncomfortable for a host of reasons.

So though the film is wonderfully made it suffers due to its own successes. For me this was better than it should have been, but I just can't get behind a movie with such themes.

The Good:

Very well made

Some great performances

The Bad:

Deeply uncomfortable viewing in places

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Hospital security isn't what it used to be

I was genuinely surprised by how good this was - it's a South London gangland film and it was well made, entertaining and Danny Dyer wasn't in it but his daughter is and she is interestingly enough called Dani Dyer! (Couldn't make it up could you). Well Ian Ogilvy, Richie, of 'The Return of the Saint' fame is retired to the Costa del Crime and is awaiting his big brother to come over for a Birthday bash. Meanwhile back in Blighty his bro Charlie (Steven Berkoff) interrupts a gang who are sexually assaulting a young girl Lauren (Dani Dyer) - instead of acting like men they brutally murder him.

The Feds (that is police to non gang types) are about as much use as a pork pie at a bar mitzvah and so Richie gets his chopper out - sorry helicopter - and comes home back to his old Manor - where everyone used to be proper crooks and love their mums - that was back in the day. Now they are all 'blud' and 'innit' and have to walk with a pimp stroll and a permanent hood on their heads like a failed monk. There he assembles the old firm - who are a coterie of crime acting regulars- and they go all out for some righteous retribution.

Now there are some issues with this film, police procedure is a joke, a few plot holes, as many coincidences as Dickens packed into 'Oliver Twist' and an ending that requires a bit of a stretch to actually believe. That said I still ruddy enjoyed it, veteran James Cosmo as the loud mouthed Arthur was brilliant and Ian Ogilvy showed what a bit of old school talent can bring to the screen. This is a guilty pleasure and I wish the makers all the best - it is nice seeing veteran actors getting a fair crack at a fun role. If you want a bit of semi - mindless fun and don't mind a bit of sawn off shotgun justice then this is for you or puckkah as they say.

It's distinctly slow to get going. The vileness of the hoodies seems a bit overdone; later on you know why it's necessary, so we feel there's nothing whatsoever so bad but they deserve it; but at the time it's just a bit much. Worst of all, the punishment doesn't fit the crime - it's not the very worst of them that meets the worst end. But for all that tremendously enjoyable, entertaining and with a feel good factor.

What made this film for me was the cast that has been put together. Faces that I haven't seen on screen for years such as Ian Ogilvy, Lysette Anthony, Alison Doody and Christopher Ellison stand on screen with newcomers such as Danny Boy Hatchard who plays the most vile of characters. But thats the point. Within seconds of seeing Danny Boy Hatchards character (Aaron) on screen, I wanted to reach through the screen and throttle him. Brilliantly played by Danny Boy Hatchard who Im sure is a very decent guy with a heard of cold, he brilliantly plays one of the most vile humans I have seen on screen for a while. Well played Danny!.

On the flip side of that is the character of Lauren, fantastically played by Dani Dyer in her first big role in a feature film (Dani previously appeared in a small role in Vendetta) Dani does a fantastic job here in We Still Kill The Old Way, standing toe to toe with actors who have been around for decades. In fact some of the best scenes of the film involve Lauren (Dani Dyer) and Richie (Ian Ogilvy) who have a sort of Father/Daughter vibe going on in the film after certain events intertwine their lives. This may be Dani's first major role, but she has a great future ahead if she takes it. Its great to see that Dani is currently filming in the Neil Jones directed film Age of Kill (written by Simon Cluett) which is due out in 2015. Here in We Still Kill The Old Way, we the viewer are genuinely concerned about Laurens safety at several points in the running time. We want to get her out of that scary world, but we cant, so hope and prey that Richie will do it for us.

So is We Still Kill The Old Way worth watching? Well very much so yes. Its brutal, its well written, its well acted and whilst it does share a lot of 'themes' of Vendetta. (taking the law into your own hands), its a theme that worked in Vendetta, and works in this film too. Definitely check it out if you want to be pretty entertained for an hour and a half by a great cast, in a very decent film., especially if you like a bit of the old vigilante style film like Get Carter, or Death Wish.

I was attracted to the film initially because it has Dougie Brimsons name attached. The guy hasn't let me down with his work yet, and also the name Sacha Bennett attached.as director who also hasn't let me down yet (although I have still to track down and watch his film Outside Bet)

They didn't let me down. I totally enjoyed We Still Kill The Old Way and hope you do too