We Still Kill the Old Way

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.

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.

The old school actors did a good job and it was nice to see them all in one film, they had all the good lines. The dialogue for the young bad guys was disappointing and vulgar which was a shame as it spoilt an otherwise reasonable film. The bad guys were a bit cliche. All in all worth a watch but it's no goodfellows.

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

Good film to be fair, a little bit wayward with the police reaction at the end but kept me entertained.