Review of Get Carter (2000) by Tony K — 26 Mar 2008

This film undeservedly took a bashing when it was released and since then Get Carter '71 fans have insistently tried to bury it. However, in the 7 years since it's release I've come to realize that this isn't the worst film ever made. It's not even the worst remake ever made.

This film felt more like a stylized version of the gritty Michael Caine version which has earned its classic status in British cinema. The one thing I liked about this version versus the original was the fact that they humanized the characters. I could relate more to Carter even if that wasn't the point of the original story. The original film gives us a Jack Carter who will attack or kill anyone he suspects was part of the murder of his brother thus turning it into a hate filled, vengeance fest. There's no character development in Michael Caine's version which explains the campy, cult status it has earned as being a low budget gangster film full of ruthless characters. It was hard to care about any of the characters in the original and films usually lose points with me when I cannot fully connect with a character. If they don't care why should I as a viewer?

With that being said the film still suffers it's drawbacks. Mainly the stylized vision of this version will turn off fans of the original from the start. Also, the main villain wasn't convincing enough and I'm talking about Alan Cumming's character. The ending was too hunky-dory but Mickey Rourke was exceptional in the short amounts of time he was on screen.