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This is not just a "kitchen sink" film. It's an thriller with an edge, a story and believable characters.

It is a fairly violent film, but that violence is given a realistic, documentary treatment, which is some ways makes it all the more shocking. There is no gore splatter, just cold, well-defined revenge. The trailer did leave me with the impression it was going to be much bloodier, but I feel that Shane Meadows got the balance right.

Paddy Considine's script is very good, and leaves enough room for the audience to be surprised at the next turn, and his portrayal of a vengeful brother is spot-on.

Provided they are happy with the lack of Hollywood polish, this is a film I'd recommend to any lovers of the thriller genre. It's well-paced and there are sufficient surprises to keep you guessing throughout.

Overall, it kept me well occupied and it gets a good 8/10 from me.

Having left the army, Richard returns to the rural Midlands where he grew up. His brother Anthony is mentally a bit slow but has suffered at the hands of a group of small time pushers and dealers. Calming sleeping rough with his brother in a ruined farm just outside the sleepy little town, Richard makes first contact with one of the men before making his intentions clear. As the warning shots end, Richard begins to cut through the group that harmed his family.

There are plot holes here; there are gaps in "real world" logic that, if you want to, you can pick at and annoy yourself before dismissing the whole film as nonsense and going back to the telly to watch action movies. Several reviewers on this site have done that and I'm not entirely sure why. I didn't feel I was allowed out of the grip of the film for long enough at any point to start to think about these things because to me it was dark, gripping, very well written and complex enough to keep me gripped throughout. The story appears to be about revenge, but it is as much about an avenging force as it is about revenge – the latter sounds harsh and emotional, Richard is cold and cleansing. This aspect of the story is interesting mainly because it is tense and quite gripping, but the film works so well because it is only one of the aspects that works. The flashback scenes are gripping in the way that we don't know where they are leading but we know how very serious it must be because the actions led us to this place. Meanwhile the film's main triumph is that we spend most of our time with the dealers and users – the "baddies". Doing this stops us just rooting for Richard and seeing them as "bad men" who we just want to see dead; by getting to see their characters, we may not care for them but we certainly don't see them as fodder.

The cast are roundly good and play it very naturally and convincing as real people. The script helps them a lot of course but I got the impression that a lot of it came from them. Considine has a complex character and I won't pretend to totally understand who he was but I thought he great a great job leading the film – I suppose writing it must have helped a little bit! Kebbell is also strong, not allowing Anthony to just be a character of pity but one that we do feel for. Support from Stretch, Bell, O'Neal, Sadot and the others may seem basic but their "chav" clichés are actually convincing characters (sadly) and their emotions, fears and pain is convincingly real. The main star for me though was Meadows, who has done a great job structuring the film and also delivering it with a great deal of style – but not to the point where it gets in the way of the film.

Overall this is a dark, compelling film that has great writing, acting and directing. It has plot holes if that is what you want, but I was so gripped by the film that I didn't mind. An impacting film that is like a breath of disturbing fresh air compared to what is usually in the multiplexes.

'Dead Man's Shoes (2004)' might just be one of the bleakest films I've ever seen, a near-nihilistic revenge story in which there are no real heroes and violence begets no satisfaction. It really is grim, putting Paddy Considine's angry ex-army-man on a path of no return and painting him as just as much a monster as the thugs he's after. A large part of this is due to the fact that lots of screen-time is given to the no-good, small-time gangsters who find themselves hunted by the protagonist. Even though they're nowhere near likeable - or, even, empathetic - you can't help but identify with their sheer terror as they're picked off one by one in an unrelenting, merciless fashion. The violence of the movie truly is shocking, yet never overly gratuitous. It's frank, ferocious and, sometimes, difficult to stomach. It's also never glamorised, even if it is focused on somewhat. The effect of the picture is palpable. It isn't enjoyable, per se, but it's compelling and challenging. Without offering so much as a sliver of hope, the piece pulls you into its seedy world of wrongdoing and revenge and doesn't let you out until it's well and truly finished with you. 7/10

I was already a huge fan of Meadows' work (A Room for Romeo Brass, 24/7) before going to watch this film and had extremely high hopes for it. Another reviewer hit the nail on the head when he said he was manipulated from the off with deep anxiety and anticipation. It recently came out to rent on DVD and I must have watched it about six or seven times now and loved every viewing and there are very few films that I can say that about. It is superb, if you have not seen it, don't read on, just go and watch it. It is obviously not technically the best film of all time, but I don't care what anyone says, it has become my second favourite film ever made, its that good. My reasons for loving it are probably very personal, so excuse my if you think I'm overrating it. I showed it to my mates though and they all loved it.

SPOILERS AHOY Its a dark, yes very dark film, but Meadows has a knack of using humour to ensure his work is never miserable or too depressing. The scene where Sonny accidentally shoots his mate in the head with a sniper rifle is gloriously farcical. I even had to chuckle during the scene where Richard shows Herbie the mangled body of Tuff because of Paddys fantastic acting- 'D'ya wanna give 'im kiss?', 'D'ya want me t' shut it? yeah', unbelievable. The drug scenes are some of the most realistic I've ever scene; whoever suggests they aren't needs to go out and drop some trips and say that again.

Just like all his films (except Once Upon A Time In The Midlands), the soundtrack is spot on. Perfect songs used with impeccable timing create a distinct, moody atmosphere. All the acting is fantastic (even the little kids at the end) the improvisation works a treat and you genuinely feel as if you know these characters, or have met them somewhere before.

I feel sorry for anyone who didn't like this film, you really are missing out. There's a few small continuity mistakes, but I only noticed them after watching it a few times and you've got to be a miserable git to let that spoil the experience. Shane and Paddy (if you're reading this), you are the best thing to happen to the British film industry since Loach, forget cockney gangsters. I can't wait for 'Le Donk'. 'thtweet boys and girth'. 11 out of 10 from me.

On paper I can see the argument that there is little morally redemptive quality to a film like Dead Man's Shoes, no diamond polished by the end credits to reward an audience going through the trauma. But to actually sit through the film, and most importantly, to be subjected to another of Paddy Consadines' electric performances, is an extra-ordinarily vital, if viceral experience.

In 'A Room for Romeo Brass' Considines character shifted from comical to threatening in a truly unsettling way, although in the end his promise 'to go dark on you' is easily thwarted by the decisive action and confidence of a father-figure. In this film, again, there is some uncertainty on the audience's part as to how far the character will go, as until the end, we are uncertain of exactly what he is revenging.

Rest-assured, Considine delivers an absolutely convincing depiction of a man struggling to balance his desire for revenge and redemption, he invokes sympathy and fear from the audience in a performance to rival DeNiro in 'Taxi Driver'.

I judge a film on the value of the experience it gives you, and 'Dead Man's Shoes is more than worthy of your time.