Rise of the Footsoldier (2007)

Rise of the Footsoldier: Directed by Julian Gilbey. With Ricci Harnett, Craig Fairbrass, Terry Stone, Roland Manookian. The life of career criminal Carlton Leach.

“In American gangster movies the protagonist finds himself pursuing the American dream via the American existentialist capitalist nightmare . By this I mean he finds a violent purpose in a meaningless uncaring world , a purpose that usually leads to his destruction either literally or metaphorically . Brtish cinema doesnu0026#39;t have a long tradition of this type of movie and perhaps the closest we have in this country is the football hooligan film . Mindful of this director Julian Gilbey has made a film trying to bridge the gap between the two u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIs he successful ? Yes and no . Yes to the fact that heu0026#39;s made a dark violent thriller but no judging by the amount of comments along the lines of u0026quot; I watched this movie thinking it was a biopic on Carlton Leach only to find he disappears halfway through u0026quot; What the film is not is a biopic but if proof is ever needed that crime does not pay then an audience could do a lot worse than watch RISE OF THE FOOT SOLDIER u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s certainly memorable but I mean this in a dubious way . Itu0026#39;s certainly not pleasant and Gilbey concentrates on the gore and violence . Perhaps too much so as he introduces conspiracy theories as to why three violent gangsters are executed gangland style . Why does he do this ? Simply to show three criminals get blasted to death in the most graphic way possible . You canu0026#39;t get enough of seeing a naughty boy get shot in the face with a shotgun ? Good because youu0026#39;ll be able to see it happen at least three times from different angles . Gilbey is trying to emulate Scorsese though heu0026#39;s not entirely successful . That said one had hoped heu0026#39;d be more prolific . After all who wants to watch British art house or period dramas all day ?”