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Visitors Review

birdman99 2012-05-21 04:50:00

bonded by blood is terrible

I am so disappointed just travelled 65 miles to see this garbage. Themovie has some good actors in it yet none of them show a ounce of anyof they true talent.The story is poorly put together and doesn't reallyfollow a theme or character from start to finish. The main focus issniffing drugs and swearing and believe me there had a good true storyto work on,Tammer Hussein who is a good actor when he puts it on wascrap as pat Tate,Craig fairbrass makes him look like harry potter.Thisfilm makes you cringe at nearly every scene.Overall not worth a 2nd thought.When will someone pull there finger outand give us another ROTFS or the business type film.To be truthful i think never......

davideo-2 2012-05-20 20:45:40

Unnecessary and undelivering brit gangster flick

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning** Sunday Night * Monday Morning This fundamentally pointless gangster flick (the story has been donetwice before) gives Tamer Hassan the chance to do his typical gurning,foul mouthed cockney gangster thing as Pat Tate, whilst Terry Stoneinexplicably plays the same character he did before, with the likes ofNeil Maskell and Adam Deacon for support in this latest attempt tobring the true life story of the 1995 Rottenden Range Rover murders tothe screen. It lacks the sappy melodrama of the dismal Rise of the FootSoldier, but the same problem I had with that film seems to be presenthere: there seems to be a lack of depth, and the very interesting storyjust feels really hard to get in to. It just would not appear totranslate well to film, surely one it would be better to read about.Great soundtrack, though. **

2012-05-17 22:08:31

Why was this even made?

This is shockingly bad,yes its based on a true story but its already been done,2007 rise of the footsoldier,that is one of the best brit gangster films ever made,bonded by blood dont even come close,beats me why they bothered making this,cant believe the 5 star ratings are genuine,if they are i suggest you go watch rise of the footsoldier & then review this again.

catstewart07 2012-05-17 08:09:10

Something of an anti-climax.

I was really looking forward to watching this film, having very muchenjoyed Bernard O Mahoney's book of the same name upon which the filmis based.Unfortunately, Craig Fairbrass is conspicuous by his absence; havingnailed the role of Pat Tate in Rise of the Foot Soldier, one would havethought he'd be alongside Terry Stone once more. Instead we have TamerHassan, who snarls and curses his way through the role in a somewhatunconvincing fashion. Stone, who played a blinder as the bullyingTucker in ROTFS, is reduced to a sidekick not dissimilar to Muttleyfrom Wacky Races, in a cheap shiny suit but thankfully minus the mulletwig.Interestingly though, Neil Maskell steals the show in places as CraigRolfe, with an understated dignity and presence; the other Craig Rolfeseen in ROTFS with Roland Manookian in the part was an entirelydifferent character, however Maskell's portrayal was equally convincingand perhaps the best performance of the film. Except for the geniusturn of the girl in the nurse's outfit travelling with Tate later inthe film. (Genuinely funny scene, I actually thought it was CatherineTate in a cameo role.) This film runs at a much slower pace than theslick Rise of the Foot Soldier, and the highly anticipated murder sceneat the end is nowhere near as chilling and atmospheric either-something of an anti climax.

TomoCillin 2012-05-16 13:40:01

Weak start, poor ending but quite intense mid movie

I'm not too sure what to make of this movie to be honest. Let me juststart by saying, I have a bias for low budget and Independent moviemaking. I want to see them do well and I want to see a freshperspective from the usual Hollywood point of view. Unlike some otherreviewers of this title, i'm not all too concerned about how accuratelythe picture may or may not have represented true events. In fact, Ireally couldn't care less if a script takes massive liberties so longas it delivers a movie that is enjoyable to watch. So what I reviewhere is purely a movie based on its aesthetic qualities and craft. For all its weaknesses, this movie did deliver one or two good pointswhich would make me say it is worth looking up if you enjoy your Britgangster. Firstly, some of the villains were very well depicted,particularly the brutish characters played by Tamer Hassan and TerryStone.Secondly, although the movie has a weak start and a poor ending, itreally managed to draw me in mid-movie. The build up between the twofactions as they prep to go at each other was very engaging and reallymanages to heighten tension. I enjoyed the fact that the movie centredaround just one killing incident and the realities that go into theplanning of such a job rather then glamorising and trivialising thedirty aspects of criminal life.Where the movie fails for me, is with the character Darren Nicholls(Adam Deacon). I don't get why they nade such a weak character narrateevents. I actually felt more sympathy for some of the more brutalcharacters who were honest about who they were, rather then thischaracter who really seems to do nothing for the entire movie exceptcomplain. Nor did I get the point of using flash back as the drivingforce of the movie. I didn't think it added anything to plot orstructure. It seems to me the director was trying to emanate a'Goodfellas' vibe. A weak script in parts really lets the movie down also, which is ashame because the movie did hold promise. There seemed to be a feelingthat characters needed to be portrayed in extremely good light when theaudience was expected to hold sympathy toward them. Again, this is whyI ended up resenting the Nicholls character rather then feeling theintended empathy. It's also seen in the character Mickey Steele(Vincent Regan) where he is played as a compassionate man who takes inthe lover and not really a drug dealer as he is just the 'deliveryman'. He is overly portrayed as the 'honest decent criminal'. Hischaracter becomes totally two dimensional when he suddenly flips frombeing 'Mr. Nice Guy' into 'Mr. Hard Ass'... there was no need to dothis to such extremes and I think the audience's intelligence was takenfor granted. I really do believe that a more honest depiction -showingthe good and the bad- of each character's traits, would have engagedthe audience better. There were also some really hammy lines throwninto the love scene on the pier and else where throughout the movie. But taking the good with the bad, this movie does still throw up somegreat scenes. It fails by patronising the audience with forced feelingsof empathy, but really engages them with some terrific build up. Itmanages to capture beautifully the exhilaration of criminal life,because as high and as quick as they can rise, their moment at thesummit may well just be brief.

Jnoirnoir1032 2012-05-16 01:53:24

Yawn

How many times will low budget tales about these Essex lads need to betold. The film made no effort to show anything other than the tough guy'gangster' side of Tucker or Tate. They were thoroughly unlikeable, andwhilst Hassan gives a decent performance, I still couldn't care lessabout the fate of his gobby bully. Stone, meanwhile fares less well.Not sure what this guys background is, but he's not a very convincingtough guy. I think he has a slight speech impediment which may havebeen a character choice, but it didn't seem right for the part. Ididn't believe him at all, and he only really seems to have oneemotion. Angry swearing. The direction is competent without ever beingvery imaginative, and the film does seem to have been put togetherquite well, zipping along at a good old pace. It's not a terrible film,it's just not really very interesting. It's been done better, manytimes, before. There is a very clear market for these films, and Iguess whilst this obsession with cockney geezers remains we can expectmore offerings like this one. Shame.

2012-05-10 19:44:34

Awesome film!

I don't understand what critics are talking about. The fact that this film is based on a true story makes it original by default! It's a gripping tale as good as any gangster movie and it was not predictable at all! Great movie for your next movie night!

FlashCallahan 2012-05-10 13:12:51

lots of slaaaags and chaaants.....

In 1995, drug suppliers and career criminals Tony Tucker, Patrick Tateand Craig Rolfe were blasted to death by a shot gun whilst waiting in aRange Rover in Rettendon, Essex. The film charts their rise to become the most prolific dealers andfeared criminals in the south of England. Maintaining the hold on theirempire with fear and violence until their untimely death.There is something comforting about a film starring Tamer Hassan. Youknow you are going to get swearing, and you know that you are not goingto have to concentrate a lot, but you know you will enjoy it in somesort of masochistic way.And when you get the added bonus of it being about gangsters, and alsocompletely 'true', films like this are a must.You can tick all the boxes to any brit gangster film released in thelast lifetime.There is a torture scene.There is a woman crying at a phone box with a kidThere is driving with drugs and a blonde womanThere is a murder at point blank range with a shotgunand there is a man killed at the beginning, and then him narrating thefilm, and then at the end, the same scene at the beginning playedagain.For those who like these kind of films, it's effortless, made at theNick Love movie school for geezers, and wears this on it's sleeve.Not original, not clever, average performances, but worth watching.

David O'Brien 2012-05-02 03:14:31

Very poor indeed

Rise Of The Footsoldier was such an accomplished film that you would bemistaken for thinking that a prequel would be of as equally high acalibre. Disappointly this is a stinker. The narrative behind Rise OfThe Footsoldier gave it a clarity of purpose. The script was ratherwitty. This film is glum. The dialogue doesn't sparkle. Plenty of "c"and "f" curse words but not used in an amusing way at all. The biggestshocker for me here was that Pat Tate was played by Tamer Hassaninstead of Craig Fairbrass, Terry Stone reprises his role as TonyTucker but Craig Rolfe here is portrayed by Neil Maskell instead ofRonald Manookian. I couldn't believe it when the film portrayed theRettendon murders yet again. Eh, I thought this was a prequel, and notan inferior sister film ? Ricci Harnett's presence as Carlton Leech issadly missed. He was quite a presence in Rise Of The Footsoldier. Ican't help feeling that Julian Gilbey would have done a better job asdirector here, but of course he probably had the good sense not to getinvolved in this. It's obviously a cash-in and quite a poor one atthat.

2012-05-01 16:13:35

great action film

This movie was very intense, action packed, and gripping. It kept me on edge the whole time and the story is based on a real events which is even better!! A MUST SEE!

2012-04-30 12:16:07

Amazing action film!

This is such an amazing film! Lots of action packed scenes, and great story line. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good action film.

aaron-835-724528 2012-04-30 00:48:27

I enjoyed Rise of the Footsoldier, but loved Bonded by Blood!

Apparently this is movie is the truest depiction of the story of whathappened to the 'Essex Boys' back in the mid nighties. It's definitelya lads action movie, but you'd expect that from the name.A slow start, as you got to grips with the characters and theirrelationships with each other, but it soon hots up, with plenty ofaction.From what i've heard and previously read it seems to be a fair accountof what happened, and although it's a movie i'd like to think theportrayal didn't sensationalise what actually happened.Thoroughly enjoyed it, and would definitely watch again.

2012-04-29 03:48:14

Brilliant Gangster Movie

I got to see this film in the UK. If you like gangster movies like, Lock Stock, Layer Cake and Snatch you will love this film. Amazingly this film is based on a true story. Tamer Hassan's performance is simply outstanding. I strongly recommend.

ajay699 2012-04-28 14:47:10

great movie

A real well put together movie, i have enjoyed it thoroughly. Somegreat scenes as well as humorous in parts.A must see movie, not one to be missed. All I can say is watch it andjudge for yourself.This is the true story of the essex boys the whole truth and nothingbut the truth.you will have to wait until 26th December 2010 for the DVD release sogo on and treat yourselfyou deserve it, definitely one for the collection , one you can watchover and over again

beatleblack 2012-04-24 19:31:24

NOT as good as ROTFS! However...

NOT as good as ROTFS! However... If you are interested in the nownotorious story of the so-called Essex Boys, you will want to see thisfor completist reasons.This film presents the relationship between Mickey Steele & PatTate/Tony Tucker with the ultimate build-up to the Range Rover killingin a way that ROTFS missed. That's because the narrative comes from theperspective of the 3rd member of Mickey's gang. This is a perspectivewhich you can't help but doubt having watched Rise & which even thisfilm admits with a post-script is a dubious account.Documentary evidence aside, two questions arise: do we have some moregreat anecdotal evidence of their out-of-control behaviour? And, isthis anywhere near as good a film as Rise?Firstly, yes AND no. Despite the lack of Craig Fairbass there aremoments showing Pat's traits which are memorable but NOTHING like thePizza scene. Secondly, yes AND no. This film felt like a moreartistically professional job but left me feeling less satisfied andentertained than by the gloriously over-the-top Rise.

Deano Apstarr 2012-04-24 10:51:55

Not very good

This film is a very inaccurate portrayal of the men. I found itextremely disappointing after anticipating it for a few months. I foundrise of the foot soldiers to be much more realistic and I guess thereis a reason why it is, as ROTFS is a list of events told by anextremely reliable person, an extremely close friend of Tony Tucker andalso someone who knew Pat Tate and Craig Rolfe very well, his name isCarlton Leach.However 'Bonded By Blood' is a film by Terry stone, who has no personalknowledge of the murders or the people involved, and therefore haspainted a more hollywoodised version and transformed the characterscompletely.For instance Darren Nichols was an Essex boy from near Braintree, andnot a rude-boy type who spoke similar to dizzy rascal. He was chubbyand was pretty unintelligent. Jack Whomes was not a tall bodybuilderbut instead average height and plump. The person who really made melaugh was Pat Tates character. I thought Pat Tate was of Irish descentand not Turkish! LOL. Tony Tucker had a strange mullet type haircut,and was not often seen in a suit. Craig Rolfe is also portrayed in thisfilm as a young wise expert in handling guns, and very sharp and ofstrong status within the firm. The reality couldn't be further from thetruth. He was Tony Tuckers little runner, that constantly got shown uppublicly by the firm, he was also rather dim and had no valid opinionin the firm.All I can say is its a good film if you want to watch a snatch / Rollinwith the nines type film, but if you are like me and have read manybooks on the Rettendon murders and then watched this expecting it to bea very accurate story and portrayal of the characters involved then youwill be very disappointed.

Frank Baker 2012-04-17 21:33:45

Forget about this!

"Better than Rise of the Footsoldier" i don't think so.Having livedclose to Rettendon for most of my life i've followed media reports andread many books on the now famous "Range Rover killings" and waslooking forward to watching this film.What a waste of time!...if youdon't know the story or details about the Essexboy murders then thisfilm won't help you in any way...it will only leave you bored andconfused.The production fails on many levels.The acting and script arebeyond words in my opinion,there's little in construction of characterbuilding or realism,there's no background or explanation of the storyand to be honest i can't see why this film was ever made.After thesuccess of Julian Gilbey's ROTFS,which is a brilliant and outstandingwork of art,this is an embarrassment.Carlton Leach's version of eventsseem and probably are more accurate than this poor effort which claimsto be "The Whole Truth And Nothing But The Truth" It looks like BernardO Mahoney and the makers of this film are just cashing in!...As i saidforget about this!.... Watch ROTFS instead!

t_atzmueller 2012-04-17 02:40:50

"Footsoldier" was a hooligan on steroids - "Bounded by Blood" is merely anaemic

"Brutal … even better than Rise of the Footsoldier", said one criticabout "Bonded by Blood", no doubt while counting the pound notes insidea vanilla envelope.Lot of critics have shredded „Rise of the Footsoldier", the second filmabout the infamous Rettendon Range Rover killings: too brutal, too manydrugs, too much swearing and a rather inconsistent storyline. However,friends of violent British gangster / hooligan films have declared"Footsoldier" a cult-movie and wondered why there seemed a need to havethe story filmed a third time.The main reason why a "Footsoldier"-fan would want to watch "Bonded byBlood" is the return of many actors from the first film: Terry Stonereprises the role of the foul-mouthed Tony Tucker; albeit a somehowpolished version, without the ludicrous wig he had to wear in"Footsoldier", replaced with a cheap suit looking like a leftover from"Goodfellas" and a Terry Stone who at all times looked uncomfortable,not sure why he was there in the first place. Neil Maskell, having aminor role as Darren Nicholls in the prior film, plays Craig Rolfe;physically more accurate in "Bounded for Blood", his character pales incomparison to the slimy, malicious Rolfe that Roland Manookian hadplayed.Jack Whomes, in both films the man who fires the first shots into theRange Rover, is played by Dave Legeno, who had a small role as hooliganin "Rise of the Footsoldier". Prior Ben Harper played Whomes as apsychopathic henchman, his final scene giving the viewers chills, butthe Whomes of this movie is no more than a robotic hulk with a shotgun.And while we're on the topic of miscasting: whatever gave the producersthe impression that Pat Tate was Turkish? A highlight could have beenVincent Regan, whose hawk-like eyes and chiselled features made him oneof the more memorable characters in Zack Snyder's "300". Alas, Reganplaying the burned out gangster Mickey Steele, is wasted in this role,looking all the while as if he just hadn't slept enough beforeshooting.If you compare "Rise of the Footsoldier" to a hooligan on steroid-rage,"Bonded by Blood" is more like a backdoor-dealer on tranquilizers:there's plenty of pointless talking, occasional cussing, beatings andshootings, bits of nudity and bits of drug-taking. About midway theviewer stops caring for the one-dimensional characters, waiting for theinfamous Range Rover shooting scene, the bloody and very realistichighlight of "Footsoldier". The scene comes, shotguns are emptied (moreor less in the off) into the occupants of the Rover and the viewer isleft with a distinct sentiment of "so what".In Germany, "Bonded by Blood" has been released under the moniker"Footsoldier 2", hoping to rehash the success of the 2008 film butpersonally, I hope that the "Footsoldier"-fans won't fall for thatpromotional gimmick – unlike me, who naturally pulled his wallet whenthe film hit the shelves.I'll give it a well-meaning three points out of ten but if I had towatch the film again, I'd probably reduce that to two.

valleyjohn 2012-04-09 19:04:09

A complete mess

There have been a couple of previous films about the Essex Range Rovermurders. Both were pretty forgettable but neither are anywhere near asbad as Bonded by Blood. It's quite a rare thing to have a film whereevery actor on display is no good. You usually get one stand outperformance but with this movie everyone stinks. Tamer Hussan plays hisusual role as Mokney Cockney Essex wide boy and you wouldn't expect anydifferent from a one trick pony actor like him but it grates on youwhen there are people trying to out " Essex " him on screen. TerryStone and Neil Maskell are so over the top with their acting it'slaughable. I also have problem with the director of this mess. It musthave taken great skill for Sacha Bennett to make a film look such amess.It has no form or structure and events happen with no explanationwhile other threads are dropped and forgotten about. The only goodthing about Bonded by Blood is that the Essex tosser Danny Dyer isn'tin it but that's hardly a reason to watch this trash. Avoid

raveydaveygravey 2012-04-09 00:00:18

Did they do any scene research?

I went to see this film with a couple of friends one of which had readall the books. I had seen Essex Boys but not Return of the Foot Soldierand was quite looking forward to this film.I love gangster films and obviously being a bit of an Essex boy andbeen to the places mentioned in the film in the early nineties wasquite looking forward to this film.However I was absolutely disappointed. Although the acting was justabout OK but not entirely believable the depiction of 90's Essex isnothing short of atrocious.The night club Raquels was a big night club in basildon essex but inthe film it looks like a bar out of Neighbours. The fashions were across between 80's and the noughties. At not one point in the film didI feel I was in the 90's. The fashions were all wrong. Blokes werewearing suits or tucked in shirts (this would have no doubt got you agood seeing too in 90's Essex but was considered normal in the film)and no curtains in sight. The women were wearing heavy 80's makeup,tight tops short skirts and platform stilettos...I don't remember thatin the 90's it was more cover your self up baggy tops, bobbed hair,bell bottoms and clumpy shoes! Even the scenes on Southend Pierincluded modern infrastructure that was never around in the 90's. Overall it was just about watchable but whoever was responsible for thedepiction of 90's Essex should have been taken away in a 'K' reg RangeRover and shot!