Review of Welcome to the Punch (2013) by Manu G — 14 Apr 2013

Writer/director Eran Creevy pits James McAvoy's washed up cop, Detective Max Lewinsky, against Mark Strong's crime boss, Jacob Sternwood.

Sternwood is helped by old pal Roy Edwards (Peter Mullen) whilst Lewinsks police back up comes from partner Sarah Hawkes (Andrea Riseborough) and Chief Thomas Geiger (David Morrissey) and Nathan Bartnick (Daniel Mays).

The film opens with Lewinsky trying but failing to stop Sternwood during a heist in Canary Wharf. Lewinsky takes a bullet, whilst Sternwood escapes. Three years on and Lewinsky has a shot to take down his nemesis with the mastermind criminal returning to London from exile to rescue his son, arrested after being shot during a deal gone wrong.

What happens next is classic cops and robbers, with Lewinsky looking to bring Sternwood to justice and rescue his own redemption. But as they face off, Lewinsky begins to uncover a conspiracy involving people far more immoral and much closer to him than the man he's pursuing.

As well as the standard chase and shoot 'em up sequences, Welcome To The Punch has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Following his critically acclaimed socio-drama debut, Shifty, Eran Creevy has cemented his credentials with this stylish, rip roaring British crime action thriller.