If you like your crime thrillers racy, sharp and witty then forget Layer Cake. The DVD title is L4yer Cake for a reason that totally escapes logic unless it's an aside about the four (count 'em) plots cobbled together for this mish-mash of violent rubbish.
While it is worth a look, it fails to come close to the directors former works mainly because the thing is overwritten by half. There are too many similar characters, too many sub-plots and the whole storyline is so convoluted that it's extraordinarily difficult to follow at times.
Having said that, Daniel Craig shows enough of the stuff that won him the Bond role. However, he too is held back by a poor script and some silly pretension. Early on he says he hates guns, for example, only to expertly assassinate someone with a stolen one just moments later. That's a minor one but you get the idea. Sure, he 'agonises' over It later but it's simply not believable in the first place and so all the backpedaling in the world doesn't set it to rights.
The old, evil warlords (far too many of the similar type for mine) are quite fun in a stereotypical, flat fashion and the love affair (if that's what it is) between Craig and the blond bombshell is so badly handled (I'm assuming the director and screenwriter think it's cool and clever but they'd been playing with each other if they did) that it is simple also unbelievable.
In short, this is an interesting diversion but don't expect to be blown away by of it - especially the plot. Serbian mafioso chase stolen Ecstasy haul even though they've got a factory pumping out million of tabs a day? Give me a break.
While it is worth a look, it fails to come close to the directors former works mainly because the thing is overwritten by half. There are too many similar characters, too many sub-plots and the whole storyline is so convoluted that it's extraordinarily difficult to follow at times.
Having said that, Daniel Craig shows enough of the stuff that won him the Bond role. However, he too is held back by a poor script and some silly pretension. Early on he says he hates guns, for example, only to expertly assassinate someone with a stolen one just moments later. That's a minor one but you get the idea. Sure, he 'agonises' over It later but it's simply not believable in the first place and so all the backpedaling in the world doesn't set it to rights.
The old, evil warlords (far too many of the similar type for mine) are quite fun in a stereotypical, flat fashion and the love affair (if that's what it is) between Craig and the blond bombshell is so badly handled (I'm assuming the director and screenwriter think it's cool and clever but they'd been playing with each other if they did) that it is simple also unbelievable.
In short, this is an interesting diversion but don't expect to be blown away by of it - especially the plot. Serbian mafioso chase stolen Ecstasy haul even though they've got a factory pumping out million of tabs a day? Give me a break.