The Getaway (2002) (VG)

Director:

Brendan McNamara

Writers:

Katie Ellwood (writer)
Brendan McNamara (writer)

Release Date:

21 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

The kidnapping of Mark Hammond's son leads him on a journey through London as he does jobs from the kidnapper, Charlie Jolson, criminal empire. Meanwhile, DC Frank Carter searches through the empire for answers. |

Plot Keywords:

Kidnapping | Prostitute | Bomb | Gang War | Yardie

Cast

Don Kembry	...	Mark Hammond (voice)
Richard Hards	...	Charlie Jolson (voice) (as Ricky Hards)
Joe Rice	...	DC Frank Carter (voice)
Anna Edwards	...	Yasmin (voice)
Michael Preston	...	Harry 'The Hat' (voice)
Dave Golds	...	Jake Jolson (voice)
Paul Burfoot	...	Eyebrows (voice)
Mick Oliver	...	DCI Clive McCormack (voice)
Jim Darrah	...	Grievous (voice)
Elwin 'Chopper' David	...	Jamahl (voice)
Russell Levy	...	Nick Collins (voice)
Paul Swaby	...	Liam (voice)
Vic Robinson	...	DI Joe Fielding (voice)
Wai Tsang	...	Bobby Lee (voice)
Chee Kin Chan	...	Fu Shan Chu (voice)
Chun Wah Kong	...	Kum Dong (voice)
Wai Yuen	...	Johnny Chai (voice)
Jason Parker	...	Big Walter (voice)
Symond Lawes	...	Sparky (voice)
Colin Robinson	...	Winston (voice)
Marvin Eastman	...	Tyler (voice)
Winston Thomas	...	Jerome (voice)
Katie Ellwood	...	Suzie Hammond (voice)
David Ramsbottom	...	Detective Constable Harris (voice)
Ben Brudenell	...	Detective Constable Ryan (voice)
Robert Jones	...	Reggie (voice)
Brendan McNamara	...	Republic Bartender (voice)
Joe Barnes	...	Alex Hammond (voice)
Ross Mackin	...	Bethnal Green Crew (voice)
Paul Webb	...	Bethnal Green Crew (voice)
Amanda Dawkins	...	Layla (voice)
Alfie Chan	...	Triad (voice)
Keta Parker	...	Yardie Gunman (voice)
Chris McKay	...	Yardie Gunman (voice)
Trace Fuller	...	Yardie Gunman (voice)
Stevie Wren	...	Bouncer (voice)
Kevin McSherry	...	Telephone Repairman (voice)
Martin Stobbard	...	Police Radio (voice)
Simon Wood	...	Police Radio (voice)
Jerry Shaw	...	Police Radio (voice)
Rebecca Rice	...	Police Radio (voice)
Tanya Clarke	...	Police Radio (voice)
Orlando Khota	...	Soho Crew (voice)
Gary Taylor	...	Soho Crew (voice)
Louise Almeida	...	Lapdancer (voice)
Laura Chen	...	Lapdancer (voice)
Erin Ryan	...	Prostitute (voice)
Alistair Lindsay	...	Beat Policeman (voice)
Liz Hill	...	Beat Policewoman (voice)
Vicky Lord	...	SO19 Officer (voice)
Karla Sutherland	...	Policewoman (voice)
Denise McCallum	...	Yardie Girl (voice)
Paul Cutting	...	Touch of Class Bartender (voice)
Patrick Borg	...	Van Driver (voice)
Piluca Martin	...	Bystander (voice)
Ron Festejo	...	Pedestrian (voice)
Dominic Robilliard	...	Pedestrian (voice)
Miki Grahame	...	Pedestrian (voice)
Shawn Layden	...	Pedestrian (voice)
Ben Harvey	...	Pedestrian (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jon M. Gibson	...	Pedestrian
Philip Hayden	...	Police Chief

Directed by
Brendan McNamara

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Katie Ellwood		writer
Brendan McNamara		writer

Produced by
Kenneth Chan	....	assistant producer
Katie Ellwood	....	assistant producer
Darren Yager	....	producer

Original Music by
Andrew Hale

Production Design by
Simon Wood

Art Direction by
Sam Coates

Makeup Department
Melanie Gibson	....	makeup artist

Art Department
Ben Brudenell	....	3D artist
Chee Kin Chan	....	3D artist
Ben Durrant	....	3D artist
Julian Gibson	....	3D artist
Susie Green	....	3D artist
Ben Harvey	....	3D artist
Elaine McSherry	....	3D artist
David Ramsbottom	....	3D artist
Damon Rayner	....	3D artist
Mike Rouse	....	3D artist
Ian Wood	....	3D artist
Wai Yuen	....	3D artist

Visual Effects by
Dalia Al-Husseini	....	3D artist

Stunts
Richard Dwyer	....	stunts
Rodrigo Gonclaves	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Claire Nightingale	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Tamsin Aston	....	animator
Stephen Blair	....	animator
Lloyd Burr	....	animator
Steph Hoddy	....	animator
Gavin Moore	....	animator
Francis O'Brien	....	animator
Matthew Rennie	....	animator
Tara Saunders	....	animator
Dave Smith	....	animator

Music Department
Johnnie Blackbourn	....	music consultant
Shawn Lee	....	musician
Andy Ross	....	musician

Other crew
Stuart Ashley	....	programmer
Laurent Benadiba	....	programmer
Jim Bulmer	....	programmer
William Burdon	....	director of programming
Alex Carlyle	....	game designer
Andrew Frost	....	programmer
Trevor Hermes	....	police consultant
Naresh Hirani	....	director of programming
Gary Knox	....	police consultant
Chun Wah Kong	....	game designer
Archie Lawes	....	voice-over
Gaelle Leysour	....	localisation coordinator
James Payne	....	programmer
Duncan Robson	....	motion capture: Artem Digital Ltd.
Darren Shaw	....	police consultant (as P.C. Darren Shaw)
Martin Stobbert	....	police consultant (as PC Martin Stobbert)
Vanessa Wood	....	location manager
Arthur Yarwood	....	programmer

Production Companies

• Team Soho

Also Known As:

Getaway 1 (International: English title) (informal title)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:MA | Ireland:18 | UK:18 | USA:M

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Team Soho

Trivia:

28 Square miles of London were digitally recreated. Boroughs included are: Marylebone, Chelsea, Mayfair, Islington, Paddington, Bethnal Green, Southwark, Whitechapel, Knightsbridge, Soho, Hoxton, Shoreditch, Brompton, Westminster, Lambeth, Vauxhall and The City.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the Snow Hill Police Station massacre mission Hammond goes in wearing a BT uniform. When you reach Yasmin in the interview room your outfit changes back to your suit and tie. However, the suit can be seen on the floor.

Quotes:

Yasmin: I thought you were a bloody professional?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) (VG)

Why should games be realistic?

The Getaway, says Sony, is a perfect combination of both movie and game. You, the player, have to complete missions implemented in a storyline told by several cut-scenes. On-screen information like health bars, hints and directions simply don't exist: you have to rely on your car's turn signals to find your way through the faithfully remodeled city of London. Realism is the keyword here.

And it's the realism that makes this game hell to play. I am a big fan of the 'cartoon' approach that Rockstar uses in its brilliant GTA games. Unlike Grand Theft Auto, The Getaway wants to be taken seriously. Example: killing pedestrians in GTA is fun. You get money for doing so and if you wait a few seconds, an ambulance will arrive to undo the damage you've done. Whereas driving over pedestrians with your vehicle is ludicrous in GTA, it's a rather uncomfortable business in The Getaway. The sickening thud and the screaming of the person you just hit make this quite horrible. And you'll have to kill a few peds in this game, believe me. London folks appear to be suicidal, which means they'll regularly walk into your car. Same goes for the innocent people who get killed when they walk stupidly into your line of fire.

Telling the entire world that your game is ultra-realistic sheds expectations. People don't expect crappy animation, cheesy controls and abysmally behaving cars in a 'realistic' game, and neither did I. This game should have set a benchmark, and it did: The Getaway is the world's first ánd worst movie-game combo ever! A brilliant idea, good storyline and seedy atmosphere are worth nothing thanks to the ruddy gameplay. Games shouldn't be realistic, they should be fun. Ironically, The Getaway is neither realistic nor entertaining. A lousy 5.5/10 is even more than they actually deserve.