Sweeney

Hardcore Grit
Let me preface this review with a statement that is required for UK residents: Have never seen the original tv program this film is based on.

That said, I was stunned to see some of the harsh and, in my opinion, completely undeserved criticism. (via Amazon.co.uk) And I'm already prepped and ready to take on all comers in stating this:

Fellow film fans in the UK have no concept of what makes a truly bad reboot, revamp, or remake. Let me tell you about being an American who regularly screens disappointment. 'Red Dawn' or the steaming pile called 'Dark Shadows' being prime examples. In all sincerity, you guys across the pond have gotten way too used to high quality moviemaking. Spoiled, you need to live here for a while, maybe get a good dose of '...

Gritty UK crime drama is worth checking out
It seems that "The Sweeney" has bypassed the US theatres altogether and instead gets released directly onto DVD. But by chance during a recent business trip to Sydney, I noticed the movie was playing in Australian cinemas and I took the opportunity to go see this.

"The Sweeney" (2012 release from the UK; 112 min.) brings an update/refresh of the movie and subsequent UK TV series from the mid-1970s. As far as the plot is concerned, the movie focuses on the London special crime unit called "the Sweeney". As the movie opens we see the unit successfully interrupting a heist, and then going out to celebrate and let off some steam (the latter even literally as we see two of the Sweeney colleagues getting it on). The tension mounts when an interal compliance officer announces that he is going to "observe" the unit to make sure it plays by the rules (which of course it doesn't). Then a brutal jewelry hold-up happens, during which one of the innocent bystanders gets brutally killed...

For a fan of the British cop genre this is great. Extremely entertaining and keeps you guessing. I highly recommend this. B+
"As far as I'm concerned there ain't another job in the world that'll give me the kind of buzz this one does." Jack Reagan (Winstone) is an old school detective that does things his way much to the dismay of IA. He is on the case of a string of bank robberies as well as being investigated by his department for questionable tactics. When something goes wrong and he is stripped of his badge it is up to him to clear his name, stop the bad guy and save his department. I am a big fan of the British cop genre and this one is not a disappointment. Great story and acting makes this very very entertaining. The movie is full of twists which keeps you guessing what is happening and who is on what side right up until the end. That makes a movie fun to watch. This is a under the radar movie that I could keep going on about but if you are a fan of this genre like I am then this is a must see. I really enjoyed this. Overall, one of the better cop movies I have seen in a while. I give it a B+.

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