Review of Rise of the Footsoldier (2007) by Khris N — 07 Jul 2008

Yeaaahhhh. A good ole brutal, bloody, shameless (on all levels) Brit gangster movie.

Which also happens to be the a real good authentic biography of one of Englands most brutal and toughest criminals, Carlton Leach. Hell YEAH!

This follows the the beginning of Leach's criminal career, starting as a football hooligan with the Inter City Firm (West Ham FC... Green Street anyone?) to Carlton running his own firm in the 80's as protection and enforcement, and the early 90's events leading to the infamous Rettendon Murders in 1995, the victims being some of Leach's associates.

There is some real gangster history in this, and t does make Green Street Hooligans and others such as Goodfellas look kinda tame when it comes to violence. Its good ole fashioned english brutality at its best, from bats and bricks and guns and fists.

You would probably need subtitles if you have trouble deciphering the Brit speak. And of course, get ready to meet some of the most colorful, as well as craziest thugs ever seen in the movies. Which happened to be based on real people.

I still couldnt believe how the characters [protrayed in this flick represented real people... the movie was based on Carlton Leach's bio.

Its got some real graphic scenes... especially when the guns go off on the Rettendon murder scenes.

O__O! (im serious, its brutal as - you actual see some good rendition of faces in the aftermath of meeting a 12 guage at point blank.).

There is some lessons to be learned here. Carlton's narrative isstraightforward and to the point. The scenes are good and explicit though, and of course, since based on true events, its got some actual news clips and such in the movie.

Anyways, if you love the gangster, the blood, the guts and the swearing and the sex, yeah you in for a good night.