[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Punch 119

Original title: Welcome to the Punch
  • 2013
  • R
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
35K
YOUR RATING
James McAvoy, David Morrissey, and Mark Strong in Punch 119 (2013)
When a notorious criminal is forced to return to London, it gives a detective one last chance to take down the man he's always been after.
Play trailer2:00
10 Videos
25 Photos
ActionCrimeThriller

When a notorious criminal is forced to return to London, it gives a detective one last chance to take down the man he's always been after.When a notorious criminal is forced to return to London, it gives a detective one last chance to take down the man he's always been after.When a notorious criminal is forced to return to London, it gives a detective one last chance to take down the man he's always been after.

  • Director
    • Eran Creevy
  • Writer
    • Eran Creevy
  • Stars
    • James McAvoy
    • Mark Strong
    • Andrea Riseborough
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    35K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Eran Creevy
    • Writer
      • Eran Creevy
    • Stars
      • James McAvoy
      • Mark Strong
      • Andrea Riseborough
    • 110User reviews
    • 129Critic reviews
    • 49Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins total

    Videos10

    Theatrical Version
    Trailer 2:00
    Theatrical Version
    Welcome to the Punch: Geiger After Press Conference (UK)
    Clip 1:04
    Welcome to the Punch: Geiger After Press Conference (UK)
    Welcome to the Punch: Geiger After Press Conference (UK)
    Clip 1:04
    Welcome to the Punch: Geiger After Press Conference (UK)
    Welcome to the Punch: Let off some Fireworks (UK)
    Clip 2:13
    Welcome to the Punch: Let off some Fireworks (UK)
    Welcome to the Punch: Sternwood Escapes Lodge (UK)
    Clip 1:32
    Welcome to the Punch: Sternwood Escapes Lodge (UK)
    Welcome to the Punch: Heist & Chase (UK)
    Clip 1:38
    Welcome to the Punch: Heist & Chase (UK)
    Welcome to the Punch: Max and Sarah almost Kiss (UK)
    Clip 1:59
    Welcome to the Punch: Max and Sarah almost Kiss (UK)

    Photos25

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 20
    View Poster

    Top cast56

    Edit
    James McAvoy
    James McAvoy
    • Max Lewinsky
    Mark Strong
    Mark Strong
    • Jacob Sternwood
    Andrea Riseborough
    Andrea Riseborough
    • Sarah Hawks
    Peter Mullan
    Peter Mullan
    • Roy Edwards
    Johnny Harris
    Johnny Harris
    • Dean Warns
    Daniel Mays
    Daniel Mays
    • Nathan Bartnick
    David Morrissey
    David Morrissey
    • Thomas Geiger
    Natasha Little
    Natasha Little
    • Jane Badham
    Daniel Kaluuya
    Daniel Kaluuya
    • Juka Ogadowa
    Ruth Sheen
    Ruth Sheen
    • Iris Warns
    Jason Flemyng
    Jason Flemyng
    • Harvey Crown
    Elyes Gabel
    Elyes Gabel
    • Ruan Sternwood
    Robert Portal
    Robert Portal
    • Robert Wiseman
    Jason Maza
    Jason Maza
    • Luke
    Jay Simpson
    Jay Simpson
    • Barber
    Seun Shote
    • Joseph Ojogo
    Dannielle Brent
    • Karen Edwards
    David Michaels
    David Michaels
    • Henry Callaghan
    • Director
      • Eran Creevy
    • Writer
      • Eran Creevy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews110

    6.135.3K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    4wellthatswhatithinkanyway

    Sleek, but flat and empty Brit action flick

    STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

    Officer Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) is still reeling after an encounter where he failed to snare career criminal Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong), who's now retreated to Iceland, but is forced to come out of hiding when his son is mortally wounded, along with another boy who was killed. Desperate to catch his formerly illusive prey, Lewinsky closes in on Sternwood, but they find themselves working together when they find each other stalked by the same enemy.

    Sleazy politicians and corrupt arms firms are at the heart of Welcome to the Punch, a Brit action thriller with an overload of style but a serious short change of substance. Eran Creevy's film is littered with nifty production values and slick editing, but can't hide what a formulaic, predictable ride it is all the way. Despite trying to respect the viewer's intelligence with a fairly intricate plot, the clichés are no less in evidence.

    One of the many other, far superior films that springs to mind is Heat, in terms of the style the film is aiming for, and so we have McAvoy and Strong at each respective end of the desperate, determined cop/illusive prey end. Pacino and De Niro they are not.

    It's got an all star Brit cast, some fluid action sequences, everything, it seems, but real heart. And without that, what can you do? **
    7BeneCumb

    Much sophisticated action - perhaps too much...

    The plot has several twists and turns, and thriller elements are catchy to follow - but it seems, however, that the screenwriter was very eager to add sophistication and all this resulted in a series of unlikely and strained scenes. Heists are seldom carried out with stylish clothes and technology in-sync, and ambitious corruption is not a sign of the UK police force - to name a few odd things... The ending scenes and the very end are scheming as well.

    The male cast is strong and even, particularly James McAvoy as Max Lewinsky, Mark Strong as Jacob Sternwood and Peter Mullan as Roy Edwards. Female characters tend to be sketchy and were uninviting to me.

    Although no Boyle or Ritchie, Welcome to the Punch is still more than a B-film. Violence is not playful, crime is gloomy and good persons tend to die as well...
    8mrda1981

    Heroic Bloodshed in the East End

    Inspired by Hong Kong 'heroic bloodshed' flicks, this hardnosed cops 'n' robbers tale certainly lives up to its name. James McAvoy's supercop exhibits a dogged intensity in his hunt for Mark Strong's antiheroic supercrim. During their heated cat-and-mouse game, the two uncover a conspiracy much bigger than their own dispute.

    The two leads keep things moving along nicely with their ambiguous dynamic, with a supporting cast of familiar faces picking up back-end duties rather nicely. Special mention must go to Shane Meadows favourite Johnny Harris who, as a cold-blooded ex-military henchman, exudes a barely-restrained predatory animalism, familiar to those who saw him in This is England '86. Top performances, decent pacing, and an ending which refuses to settle it all in quite the neat and tidy way one would expect.
    6roger-pettit1

    A reasonably entertaining film that is a little disappointing

    It's been a long time since I have seen so much advance publicity for a film. Underground stations and trains, buses and billboards in London seem to be festooned with posters advertising "Welcome to the Punch". There has also been a noticeable TV advertising campaign in the UK, aimed at plugging the film's supposed entertainment value. It is clear that "Welcome to the Punch" has a substantial PR budget attached to it. I am not surprised that so much effort is being made to convince potential viewers of the film's credentials. Although "Welcome to the Punch" is a reasonably entertaining film, it is ultimately a disappointing one. It has more style than substance. It's a slick, glossy thriller that looks expensive. However, it is also a bleak film with (apart from one funny scene that is a strangely effective mixture of humour and tension) little to lighten its almost unremittingly depressive milieu.

    "Welcome to the Punch" is an attempt at modern day noir. It seems to me to have been heavily influenced by some of the recently successful TV crime series emanating from continental Europe (primarily Scandinavia), such as "The Killing", "Borgen" and "Spiral". However, it's not as good as any of those programmes. A few years ago, criminal mastermind Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong) injured London detective Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) and fled to Iceland to escape the clutches of the police. He has now returned to London because his son has been shot and injured and is critically ill. This gives Lewinsky the opportunity to try to apprehend him for his past misdemeanours. Thus begins a complex tale of revenge, political and police corruption and obsession.

    "Welcome to the Punch" is entertaining. It is beautifully filmed and is a visually confident film that is a delight to look at. The acting is, for the most part, good - there is very effective support from the likes of Peter Mullan, Daniel Mays and David Morrissey. The soundtrack too is spot on. So, why is it no better than an averagely good film? Well, for one thing, the plot is so complex that it is sometimes difficult to follow. There is, for example, one scene in which the behaviour of a character (which ultimately leads to her being killed) is simply inexplicable. We have to wait a further 30 minutes or so for an explanation of why she did what she did. This is most definitely a film that requires the viewer's undivided attention - so much so that watching it sometimes seems to be much more of a chore than a pleasure. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to discern, amidst the frequent scenes of gun violence and mayhem, exactly which character has been injured or killed. This is because several of the actors have a similar physical appearance to each other and because the action all too often takes place in a darkly lit, brooding atmosphere that makes it difficult to see exactly what is going on. McAvoy gives a very good performance as the obsessive detective hellbent on revenge (despite occasional lapses with his London accent!). And it is certainly the case that "Welcome to the Punch" is a stylish film. But it is ultimately also a bleak and empty one that, despite the money and behind the camera talent expended on it, barely raises itself above the level of a competent thriller. 6/10.
    7eonbluedan-1

    Generic but by no means bad

    'Welcome to the Punch' is a solid idea that becomes a little overblown for its own good in the final act; clearly inspired by the crime classics like Mann's 'Heat', it doesn't pull it off as well. That and some pacing issues aside though, the terrific performances from a top-notch who's who British cast, including James McEvoy, who only has one obvious accent slip in the entire film, Andrea Riseborough, who can do anything, and the brooding, incredible Mark Strong, who almost steals the thing doing little more than looking around. Stylish to within an inch of its life, the fantastically brooding score to match the fantastically brooding faces on screen, and the gorgeous photography carry it through with unexpected panache. Nothing you don't expect, but basically what 'The Sweeney' wanted to be.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Mark Strong and Daniel Mayes both appeared in the TV series "Temple".
    • Goofs
      In the slow motion shoot-out in Iris Warn's house, only the cartridge case should be ejected after the bullet is fired down the barrel. The ejects can plainly be seen to still have the bullets attached.
    • Quotes

      Thomas Geiger: Do you want to know the real reason they first asked you to head up the Sternwood case?

      Max Lewinsky: Not fucking really. Uh, my good looks? My charm?

      Thomas Geiger: We hadn't been able to get anywhere near Sternwood for years. Our incompetence could be passed off as your inexperience.

    • Connections
      Featured in Top Gear: Range Rover Vs An Autonomous Military Machine - Designing A Vehicle For The Elderly: Rover James (2013)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ

    • How long is Welcome to the Punch?
      Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 15, 2013 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Welcome to the Punch
    • Filming locations
      • Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Worldview Entertainment
      • Between The Eyes
      • Automatik Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,747
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,736
      • Mar 31, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,926,386
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    James McAvoy, David Morrissey, and Mark Strong in Punch 119 (2013)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Punch 119 (2013)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.