The Killing Zone

Stop the presses - I just saw the most awesome film! For all you film buffs out there who consider yourselves aficionados of great cult classics, remove yourselves from the hall of fame if you haven't packed your pieces and entered into The Killing Zone.

It was a Friday night like any other - having seen like every worthy cult classic at the corner video store; I was forced into the mundane void of new-release land. What is that section all about? The Million copies of `Gweneth In Love With Herself' and `I Married A Warner Brothers Executive' stranded me in a sea of schlock. I was drowning! Throw me a life-vest (preferably without Leo DiCaprio attached!) My hand stretched out towards this brightly colored indie film cover. Saved, but by no means out of danger.

Watching The Killing Zone I was immediately transported to that feeling you get when you know you are watching an underground classic for the first time. Repo Man, Blue Velvet, She's Gotta Have It. You know this one is going to stay with you and provide an endless supply of super cool tag lines to get you out of sticky situations.

`I'm not a happy-bunny.'

`You don't need a gun to sell a computer!'

And one that I'll be firing at American Express next time they call:

`Ya don't wanna vex me, ya don't wanna f**ck with me!'

This London Crime Thriller is the real thing, and makes Guy Ritchie's films look like a tourist trip around Buckingham Palace on a Double Decker Bus. If you've seen Snatch, you'll know what I mean!

With worthy performances by Padraig Casey & Nicola Stapleton, and an exceptional performance by Mark Bowden with his witty English take on The Surfer Dude icon, this film is a whomping triumph for talented newcomers. Forget Barry Sears, if you really want to be `in your zone,' get into `The Killing Zone'.

If you like gangster films, go watch this one! If you don´t like them... go watch this one!

This film is brilliantly slow with unexpected turns which makes it very funny. Time which a movie provides has been used very good and the characters are real. Especially the acting of the main character, Matthew Palmer is brilliant! The coolest person you´ll ever see and will never see again. If all hitmen were like him, you´d better watch it.

This is a great little film that does what it says on the box. Its low-budget but makes no excuses for it. It looks good, is well put together and the music is excellent. If there's one thing to criticise then maybe its some of the acting but that doesn't really make much difference to the overall package. This is a great video to watch with a pizza and a beer with some mates on a Friday night. That's what I did

I came across The Killing Zone by chance in a video rental store in Primrose Hill, London, England. It is one of my most happiest discoveries. Intelligently written, beautifully shot, witty and well acted. This is British Film Noir at its very very best. A relatively unknown gem which has been sadly overlooked by the public due to lack of advertising. Get the DVD, it has some great special features, go on, indulge yourself. You won't be disappointed.

If you thought 'Lock, Stock' shot itself in the foot and 'Snatch' sucked the big one, then this is the British crime thriller you should really be shelling out your five bucks for.

'The Killing Zone' is the perfect example of how a no-budget indie crime anthology should be made. It's tight, lean and the final 'third' of the trilogy is a cracker. OK, it's a slow burn for the first ten or fifteen minutes, but well worth sticking with it to get clued in on the main characters involved.

All the principal acting performances are spot on - well-rounded characters and some excellent 'film' style dialogue, which makes a pleasant and unexpected change from the usual turgid TV/theatre speak that so often pops up in British films. Melissa Simonetti and Mark Bowden stand out for special praise in this respect.

I gather this cult classic-in-the-making will be hitting the video shelves in the US at the end of Spetember. Do yourselves a favour and head for your nearest video store pronto.

Believe the hype. You won't regret it.

WHY HASN'T THIS FILM BEEN GIVEN A THEATRICAL RELEASE?!