Review of Gangster Squad (2013) by Sean N — 02 Jan 2014

I can see why some people didn't like this film, but I had a lot of fun with this movie. It may not be the most complex movie, but what it gets right is a lot of dynamics you will find in a gangster movies.

The first thing I have to mention is how people are complaining about the violence.... it's Ruben Flesicher, he's a violent director. Also this is the 1949 with Mickey Cohen, why wouldn't it be violent.

Gangsters are not clean criminals they will get bloody, very very bloody. Along with this flick it has a lot of fun, there are funny lines which sounds odd, but it's completely fine here. The action is over the top and we even get some acting that goes to the roof.

Sean Penn has Mickey Cohen is amazing, he is fierce and yet gave off one liners. Then with the characters they are simple characters and it works for many of them. I love the side characters in this film like Robert Patrick's gunslinger character, Pena's young blood character, and Mackie's badass knife thrower character.

Even the main cast are simple characters and their lines give them depth and fun. Now I could have dealt without Emma Stone's character since she was pointless until the end and easily could have been replaced, but I'm fine with her in.

Overall Gangster Squad was a lot of fun for me as the style is fun enough to make this film enjoyable, it's pretty much a gangster B movie and if you don't like the sound of that, then it's not your film.

It's a bloody film with tons of drinking and smoking and the brutal tone of the movie captures the gangster feel and yet having fun with it as well.