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Reviews
Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance (2023)
Mugged off
Just to be straight, I've loved the whole series of movies (apart from the second one) & it's been well documented (including by Craig Fairbrass) that this series of movies keeps rolling on because the fans love the almost cartoon violence & the bad Essex boy personas. Unfortunately, us fans loved the realistic gang violence & the naughty boy stories that stemmed from the original. We all know Pat Tate was a wrong'un & the previous films have not held back from showing the character he was. In 'Vengeance' he's the main protagonist of the story & made out to be almost a hero. The out of control Tate we've seen in previous movies (hookers & blow in the hospital & the infamous pizza cutter scene for example) is completely tamed down in this & is almost unrecognisable. Like Taken & the Expendables this almost seem dumbed down to reach a wider audience. The story is disjointed, the superb Geoff Bell is criminally underused & unfortunately just doesn't hit the spots that the diehard fans want. I so wanted to love this but ultimately felt mugged off.
Army of the Dead (2021)
Daft but fun
Seriously, this was never going to be 28 Days Later. It's a yeehah fest of 'so bad they're funny lines',plenty of gore, clichés galore & questionable acting. But do you know what? It's fun. Leave all the snobbery outside, open a bottle of vodka with your significant other & just enjoy it for what it is. Daft but great fun.
Ted Lasso (2020)
Quality feel good lockdown entertainment
This tried and tested 'fish out of water does good' storyline path has been well trodden before but there's something about this show that is so endearing you can't help but get swept up in the storyline & the superb characters. Sudeikis does a superb job as the hapless but loveable Lasso who's life philosophies can't help to strike a chord & Brendan Hunt's understated portrayal of Coach Beard is top drawer. The UK based cast really come into their own though. Brett Goldstein's hilariously sweary Roy Kent (obviously not based on Roy Keane...) Hannah Waddington's love spurned (but with a stunning singing voice) club owner, The brilliant Nick Mohammed's put upon kit man, Phil Dunster's fantastic Jamie Tartt all make this hilariously brilliant but a special mention needs to go to Juno Temple's WAG with a heart, Kelley Jones who steals every scene she's in. I'm a massive football lover & even though there's not much footy in it, it doesn't matter. It's all about the heart (which hits you many times) and a fantastic anti lockdown comedy. Just watch it. I dare you not to be both amused and slightly emotional. I'm not crying, you are.....
Warrior (2019)
Superb
As a huge fan of Banshee I was hoping that this would be at least half as good. My expectations were surpassed tenfold. Fantastic sets that take you straight to the period (loved the Banshee pub nod) a storyline that is not only straight out of a Scorsese flick but expands on it and set pieces that are out of this world. There's one scene in season 2 that made even an old hack like me wince but it was dealing with issues that I'm sure we're prevalent at the time. Bottom line is that this programme is immense& I cannot recommend it highly enough. Top work Mr Tropper!