I was a fan of one of the best BBC export series, one that has as much a faithful fan base in America as it did in the U.K.; one need only mention 'The Flying Squad' and real fans will immediately respond I love 'The Sweeney'. I wish I could say this 2012 film version of the seventies series was as good, but in all fairness I'd be lying by saying so. However that's not to say the Nick Love film did not hit a mark. His film is not quite up to the series level, but still, it will give you your money's worth. Perhaps you can set aside your opinion of director/screenwriter Love for a moment and concentrate on the film as it stands alone.
The movie has an excellent cast, lead by Ray Winstone, whose affinity to the main character Jack Regan I found a good and close enough match to John Thaw in the original series, given the script. Winstone's previous roles in 'The Proposition' and 'The Departed' have undoubtedly not escaped the American audience's memory, and they will recognize the gritty character; he's a busy actor and capable of more than what we readily think of in this film. Ben Drew was an excellent choice for the role of Carter, though I found the character a real departure from that of Dennis Waterman's role in the series; nonetheless, I liked the chemistry with Winstone's character. The role of Nancy Lewis was admirably played by Hayley Atwell, and is one the audience is sure to remember.
The plot is not optimum but has just enough in it to engage us before the action, the key to this rough crime story, takes over. It is of course the cast that makes it all worth our while. The movie should satisfy the action junkie as well as the character focused moviegoer.
The movie has an excellent cast, lead by Ray Winstone, whose affinity to the main character Jack Regan I found a good and close enough match to John Thaw in the original series, given the script. Winstone's previous roles in 'The Proposition' and 'The Departed' have undoubtedly not escaped the American audience's memory, and they will recognize the gritty character; he's a busy actor and capable of more than what we readily think of in this film. Ben Drew was an excellent choice for the role of Carter, though I found the character a real departure from that of Dennis Waterman's role in the series; nonetheless, I liked the chemistry with Winstone's character. The role of Nancy Lewis was admirably played by Hayley Atwell, and is one the audience is sure to remember.
The plot is not optimum but has just enough in it to engage us before the action, the key to this rough crime story, takes over. It is of course the cast that makes it all worth our while. The movie should satisfy the action junkie as well as the character focused moviegoer.