Outlaw

The main gripe I have with Outlaw is the "dancing cameraman" technique, that is used in some of the scenes.

It makes for a film that looks like someone has filmed it, having just been given a camcorder for the first time.

Apart from that, it's worth renting, but I wouldn't buy it.

A general vigilante/revenge story that never really gets off the ground, a confusing film that doesn't ask any probing questions about crime & punishment nor does it come through as a straight no brainer action film.

I normally like Danny Dyer films but in this he just fades in to the background, the characters are not strong enough to have any feelings for, good or bad, you just want them to get on with it, but sadly it just never really happens. Couple all this with some really poor 'action' type filming i.e. wobbling all all over the place and a dire ending and you end up with a film that in my opinion is best left on the shelf.

I, like many others, use review and previews as a guidance as to whether to pay good money to go and see a film or wait until we can rent it from a Video Shop. The previews for Outlaw touted this film as a "must see" film for those who feel law and order has disappeared in a country that is more concerned for being "political correct" than the good, hard working everyman in the street. Certain Reviewers lambasted the film for over-glamorising violence; with one even quoting it was like watching a BNP recruitment video.

Nick Love, in my humble opinion has made some excellent films; The Business being one of my favourites. This film starts with the expectations that all the hype had promised, the main protagonist (Bryant, played by Sean Bean) leaving the army, his wife has found new love, he is obviously unstable and is confronted by young yobs who initially act with all the bravado that most of us have witnessed but when Bryant turns on them they soon leave with their tails between their legs. We then go through the other characters stories all of which either tell of bullying or of how the Law is just simply not working. A sub-story involves an old Policeman (Bob Hoskins) whose reward for 25 years impeccable and honest service has been rewarded with the job of driving around a barrister who is prosecuting a Major Criminal and Gang Leader.

This Gang Leader uses his henchmen to firstly threaten the barrister then his pregnant wife, which unfortunately goes wrong and is killed.

Bryant meets an equally unstable character and through him assembles the group with a big speech about how the Government, the Law and the Justice system have left the majority of the country feeling isolated in fear of leaving their homes.

This is where the story then starts to move from the promised story of sticking up for the likes of me and you to a personal revenge mission against the Gang Leader and his cronies culminating in a "Young Guns" type shoot out with the police.

As I said at the beginning the previews promised a story of men standing up for the common man, which turned into men standing up for themselves (still not a bad thing but not what it says on the tin). With respect to the film glamorising violence or vigilantism then I don't think any of the violence in this film is glamorous, it is gritty and actually shows the guys' disgust at one of the group's enjoyment of it. And finally, with respect to the BNP propaganda, this is a load of rubbish, one of the men in main group is "black" and while racially abused a number of times throughout the film, the abusers are shown in a very poor light as ignorant thugs or just not right in the head.

If you are still reading at this stage you are probably wondering whether I like this film or not, I did enjoy the film it made the point that you must stand up for what you think is right and in the meantime entertained me.

Sometimes it doesn't do exactly what it says on the tin. Sometimes its better.