Theo Robertson This movie by Paul W Anderson hit a lot of controversy when it was released in 1994 with the usual right wing tabloids screaming that this film should be banned since it was encouraging a spate of ram raiding and joyriding . Certainly if you want to ban it on the grounds of quality control no one would miss it much , but as for encouraging anything it'd only encourage people not to go to the cinema to watch anymore films by Channel 4 The film starts with tough tearaway joyrider Billy played by Jude Law in his first starring role being released from his prison cell . Cut to Billy being led down a prison corridor by a couple of screws who put him in an interview room with veteran detective Conway played by Johnathan Pryce " So Billy what has prison taught you ? " A short pause and get that Oscar speech ready Mr Anderson " Don't get caught " Anyone not expecting that far too obvious line ? I had hoped for a second Billy would have said something along the lines of " Since I look like Jude Law and I've been in a prison surrounded by tough lags I've learned my lesson Mr Conway . I now have a rectum like a windsock and can assure you I will cause no more trouble " And that's the problem . The film is trying to sell a good looking , young British cast , the much hyped and quickly forgotten " Brit Pack " but seem absolutely unsuited to their characters as working class anti-heroes from the inner city . After being released from the big house Billy meets his Irish girlfriend Jo played by Sadie Frost . The strange thing is Ms Frost actually looks older here than she does in 2013 which gives the impression Billy has hooked up with some MILF Anyway they decide to carjack a BMW car with a cunning plan of ramming it from behind then when the driver runs up to remonstrate with them they sneak in to the BMW and drive off in it . The problem is this is done on a urban stretch of road and there's no possible way they could have hid anywhere and the two cars are only a couple of yards apart . It's almost as if they can teleport . This sets up a car chase with the police as Billy and Jo taunt the police with " Oh gosh aren't we a couple of posh actors having a bit of a laugh playing a couple of naughty chavs what ? " That's a major failing of the film with only JonathanPryce's human portrayal of Conway and Sean Pertwee's stock villain Tommy being in any way convincing That said seeing a bunch of young toffee nosed thespians straight out of stage school who'd totally brick it on a tough estate playing characters from da ghetto is genuinely amusing . Not so the rest of the film which has a bizarre structure in that if randomly chopped up the film and inserted the scenes in any haphazard manner you'd not notice any difference

Sky Smith I simply love this movie. I read every single review here and I feel there's a fundamental problem with the critiques here. Not to be mean or disagree I think every positive and negative point here was legitimate. That is one reason why this movie is so good, its misunderstood, on a scale from one to ten stars that buys 5 for me. The other 5 stars that makes it a ten in my book? I actually LIVED like this for about 5 years when i was a teenager.It's my guess that none of the reviewers here? Ever have lived the extreme adrenaline junkie, sometimes criminal life of wanton chaos and destruction. A teen aged life of insanity; of skateboards, music, destroying things just to destroy them, carjacking, showing up a rival gang, drugs, jail, graffiti, ram raiding, running with a gang, the attitude. So therefore they cannot truly relate, and pan the movie, which is unfair. I mean, perhaps some of them have, who knows? But I noticed an underlying lack of actual identification with Billy from the people here speaking and that, I feel, is a discredit to the director. To speak ill of something when you cannot identify and relate to the protagonist is a bit underhanded. But its okay. The movie is obviously supposed to evoke an either positive fascination or a negative judgment from the viewer; I would posit that makes it a classic. I lived in the Midwest and when I was a teenager I did EVERYTHING Billy does in this movie. Got away with almost all of it like Billy but caught finally one day running from the cops super high at 4 am, they out ran me... Billy would be one of my best friends if he was real, and so would Jo. I NEVER see people in movies I identify with! It's usually the films about renegades that I identify with the characters and those tend to be very rare? So brownie points to Andersen for hitting the niche so well. Whoever picked the soundtrack actually knows what they're doing and that is very, very, very, rare. Most cheesy action movies just play what everyone wants to hear, this movie actually had identity when it came to the music, akin to Clockwork Orange. This would be one of the 5 soundtracks from the 90's id actually buy. Not a single song in this movie would've been on the radio, and i LOVED that. It wasn't fake poppy alternative and metal like most action movies, there was actual electronic music which is so rare. There's a scene towards the end when Billy and Jo jack a red BMW and the song could've been straight off a progressive trance internet station. Kudos for that. Speaking of Jo i saw someone ragging on this movie because Billy turns Jo down? Yes, it's a loser thing to do, but I was in love with my best friend for 10 years and we never did sleep with each other. Ever slept with your best friend? I have. It's a terrible idea unless you want to make her your wife. Billy had too much work to do to alienate her, which is generally what happens when you sleep with your best friend. I found the single kiss adorable and very reserved which is actually subtly dry and awesome, they always just kiss kiss bang bang in movies its refreshing to see some actual focus. Jude Law pulls it off, you can tell Billy is written to be way more into living his life than worrying about romance and some young men actually do live that way. (I don't , but some do :) The punk scene growing up around here was a lot like that. This was simply not a love story guys its way more akin to something like Akira. Jo's female presence is DIRELY needed; in the respect that their are some kick tail WOMEN out there as well. And not all of those renegade women are just the protagonist's lover. Brownie points as well for making an action movie female in a strong role. I respected her a lot more for accepting his brushoff, getting angry and leaving. Most women would pursue it and make a mess of things, romance can really screw up the dynamic, I used to run with some of the most crazy women in my city and I can speak firsthand. Men and women CAN just be best friends and partners, without the romance, it's a common misconception. This movie illustrates it beautifully. In closing, I'd like to list the 4 movies i watched today to give you an idea of how this movie fits with it's genre of action, I haven't watched any movies in a couple of weeks and got in a specific mood.... First was SFW, second was Over the Edge, third was Shopping, fourth was A Clockwork Orange. I like them all equally and give them all ten stars for fitting a very very tight niche of underground appreciators. Teenage rebellion movies for the win!!!!!!! Shopping fits in JUST FINE. I obviously can't live a life of chaos like this anymore? The costs were too high, so it's great to watch a sentimental movie every once in awhile, and be like, those were the days, be like, YUP i did that, AHAHAHAHA! Instead of going and actually doing it. :) A trip down memory lane, as it were.PS The anti conformity, anti authority, anarchistic nature of this movie is to be commended, you just don't see open rebellion movies anymore. The sad ending fits in right with the pathos and the message, crime doesn't pay. Death happens, and so does karma.

lastliberal Paul W. S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Resident Evil: Apocalypse) has written and directed a film about ram-raiding. What's ram-raiding, you say? Well, I said the same thing. I always thought it was old folks just not knowing the diff between the gas and the brakes and running into shop windows. Apparently, there is a subculture that uses cars to break into stores ans steal.That's what the film is about. Doesn't that interest you? Jude Law (Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr. Ripley) and Sadie Frost (nothing I've seen) are lovers that are competing with a rival - Sean Pertwee (nothing here either) for dominance of the yahoos that steal for a living. Ho hum.Jonathan Pryce (Governor Weatherby) has a minor role, but certainly the best one.Skip it.

frankwhat I know this Paul Anderson's first real film but I didn't like it. It was a little below par in plot and dialog. I thought the action scenes were rather slow for a self-proclaimed 'fast-pace' movie and that the lines spoken were kind of corny to say the least. Sadie Frost isn't that good looking either, I really wonder why Jude Law married her as he could probably get any girl he wanted to. After all is said and done this was alright considering it was semi-low-budget but it's still not one that's worth a second look. I did receive gratification in recognizing a few familiar faces from back when they weren't so famous especially Eamonn Walker who's notorious for playing Kareem Said on HBO's show "OZ". Despite all this I was still unimpressed though.Final Whipping:Movies: Not here, not now!DVD Purchase: Only if you have no better way to spend paper currency.Rental: It's probably one of those films you want to see just so you can say that you saw it and get credit for doing so.