Rise of the Footsoldier

Rise of the Footsoldier is directed by Julian Gilbey who also co-writes the screenplay with Mike Hawk. It stars Ricci Harnett, Kierston Wareing, Craig Fairbrass, Roland Manookian, Terry Stone and Frank Harper. Plot follows the story of one Carlton Leech (sic), how he rose from being a football terrace hooligan to one of Essex's top club-land gangsters, and his involvement in the true-life murder of three drug Barron's in Rettendon, Essex in 1995.

I remember writing back in 1994 that there is a market for film's involving football hooligans. This was after the release of a film called I.D., the first, and still the best, film to put the itchy subject on the big screen. Four years later Guy Ritchie would make British gangsters hip, and since then a number of like minded British film's about hooligans, thugs, convicts and underworld crims have made their merry way to the screen. Some great: Lock Stock, Snatch, Sexy Beast, Football Factory, Layer Cake. Some mediocre: Cass, Revolver, Bronson. And some plain bad: Essex Boys, Bonded by Blood, The Business. What we do know is that whatever the quality, people want to see them, granted some of the viewers might actually be thugs or criminals themselves, getting off on another slice of blood marinated pie, but fact remains that the market remains the same, a number of film watchers enjoy their trips down the dark side of Britain.

But here's the question, where do we stop? After Cass, Bronson and now Rise of the Footsoldier, are we to assume that any hard man geezer can get a film made about him? Lets face it, we are not talking about Peter Sutcliffe or Dennis Nielson here. You sense that director Julian Gilbey realised this and made a film with two dovetailing stories, one about a hard man working his way thru the ranks of the underworld, the other about what might have led to three drug Barron big boys getting blasted to shotgun death one night in a dark country lane. Smart move, it gives his film an edge over other recent one dimensional film's of its ilk.

The top British film magazines have been savage on Rise of the Footsoldier, their critics clearly growing tired of having to sit thru yet another British thug movie. Yet although it clearly isn't the British Goodfella's; as one over keen DVD advertising executive called it, it's still a brutal and savage piece of film making aimed at a particular audience, who, it has to be said, will find tremendous amounts of things to enjoy about it. In many ways it's an ambitious attempt by Gilbey, threading the two stories together is a good move, and largely it works; tho fans of football hooliganism film's should note that this only fills the first ten minutes of the film. He's also tries to make his characters less psychotic than their crimes suggest they are, that doesn't work, but it's top marks for trying. Thus I disagree with those who have poured scorn on it as a piece of "thug porn", a film glorifying the bad seed that festers in society. Gilbey set out to shock, clearly, the subject matter calls for it, but he at least told a good story in the process and didn't shirk the big moments either.

Where it sits in the pantheon of Brit thug movies is to my mind quite high, because I found it riveting, nasty and often uneasy to sit thru. That has to be job done, no? Cast are mostly OK, with some of them familiar faces from other previous ne'er do well portrayals, and the snap-shot of the times is bright and sound-tracked accordingly. It's not a film I could watch with my mother, or even my missus, but the makers wasn't making that sort of film anyway. An acquired taste for sure, but still a tasty treat for those so inclined to the themes cooking in the pot. 8/10

I've just seen this at the cinema, and I can't believe it's had such bad reviews. I can only think critics are offended by the subject matter, as this is a pacey, well-acted, stylishly shot exploitation movie. Yes, the central characters are unpleasant, but when did that have anything to do with the quality of the film itself? That's like saying Guernica is a bad painting as it portrays a bombing, and bombings are NOT NICE...

Seriously though, if you like hard-boiled, brutal, gripping "TOUGH GUY" cinema, you will enjoy this. The 80s/90s period detail is captured very well, with haircuts, fashions and soundtrack, and the violence doesn't let up. I was half expecting some sub-Guy Ritchie cringe-worthy thing, but it's not like that at all. The plot focus does shift from Leach to his cohorts in the film's latter half, which some viewers seem to have a problem with, but not I. ROTF barrels along and seems shorter than its near-two hour running time. Plenty of brutality, nudity, swearing and drug abuse. Sweet!

This movie could have been great. It is not in my opinion. The storyline is fragmented, the editor appears not to be able to choose between a Guy Ritchie-style of storytelling and a more straightforward one. There is a great emphasis on excessive violence, including torture. Too much so if you ask me. The characters are very shallow and stereo-typed, I would have liked to see more depth there. It is hard to identify with the main character. As a result the movie remains shallow as a whole.

The movie says it gives the spectator an inside view of the British criminal underclass, more in particular the Essex underclass. Football-hooligans, steroids, cocaine, heroine and violence, lots and lots of violence. Violence resulting from paranoia and fear in general. In this movie no-one seems to use his (or her) brain, we're looking at a bunch of animals in clothes. Like I said, there is not much of a plot and the storytelling leaves a lot to be desired.

If you're a male below 30, like gore and hardcore violence and think that's entertaining, than this is a movie for you. If you're looking for a movie portraying real people with a well developed storyline, suspense and depth, well... you can skip this one.

I'm always wary of saying that a film is excellent after only seeing it once, but me and my wife and friends have been talking about this film since we watched it.

Although extremely brutal in places this movie is one of the best British gangster titles i have seen in years now.

The story is gripping and the football firm fighting scenes although perhaps a little over the top with the blood make sorry titles like green street and football factories seem like a walk in the park.

I was extremely impressed with Terry Stone (known to those who have been in the rave scene as terry turbo) and as a fan of this genre was delighted to see some great bad boy actors from eastenders (jonny allen and dan for those who know).

A great take on a subject that has certainly been done before, but it was also nice to see the early rave scene being covered as well, something i'm sure as time goes by we will see a lot more of.

All in all if you are a fan of the genre i have little doubt you will enjoy this movie.

I have a feeling once it is released on DVD this will become a cult movie. And rightly so.

Woo, this is one violent film (and i like that sort of thing) but be warned. Ill admit i automatically (flinched) looked away at one scene and i have seen some pretty horrific videos and not been moved.Pizza anyone!

Aside from this the film portrays the thugs fairly accurately. It may seem over the top too some but this is just what life was like in the peak days of football violence in Britain. As someone who has lived in a football obsessed city surrounded by football casuals and witnessed running street battles i thought the fight scenes were very well done. if your unlucky enough to see this type of thing in real life then you will realise just how scary they can be.

Shocked me as much as The Firm (Gary Oldman one) did although with The Firm i felt slightly for the characters (peer pressure, vulnerabilities etc) but with this film i had no sympathy whats so ever for the players in this story. Basically their a bunch of nutters that got what they deserve :)

Remember this is based on an true account of the time and is severely brutal with savage characters and moments. This was and still is life for some people. Avoid if you cannot handle the brutality of real life.