KOOL film reviews archive

Snatch

9/10 people this side of the Atlantic will have heard of Lock, stock and two smoking barrels, the film that launched Vinnie Jones and Guy Ritchie into Hollywood. Vinnie has starred in a number of blockbusters since and Guy has been occupied making babies with Madonna. They have teamed up again with a number of familiar faces to produce Snatch. Brad Pitt is the big name in the cast, stealing the show as an Irish bare-knuckle fighter. Guy Ritchie has been very cunning in that this is a film set in gangland London, with lots of action and dry humour, but it is not a sequel to Lock, Stock. The plot is centred around two inept boxing promoters Turkish (Jason Statham) and Tommy (Stephen Graham). They attempt to set up some ever-so-slightly-dodgy fights in the East End, and get embroiled in international diamond smuggling along the way! The "heroes" meet a number of unsavoury characters along the way, including bullet-tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) and Bricktop (Alan Ford) who is more menacing than vinnie! The film is directed with expected smoothness from Ritchie, piecing together the plot in a disjointed fashion that seems to double the pace of the already fast-moving story. Aided by the well cust but not so versatile talents of Jones and the very versatile talents of Pitt, the film is seamless. The lines are better laid out than ritchie's debut film, with a fistful of memorable quotes, to leave with. Along with a catchy soundtrack and great camerawork, the film is presented superbly for an alround "experience". Ritchie seems to be cutting a niche in Britain to mirror Martin Scorsese stateside, producing films of a similar ilk to the last but a different tale and still hugely entertaining. If you enjoyed Lock, stock and two smoking barrels, then you will squirm with glee at Snatch - a must see! Rating