Camden New Journal - Movies: Rise of the foot soldier

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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published: 6 September 2007

The angry foot soldiers lose the remote control

Graphic look at gangs of Essex

RISE OF THE FOOT SOLDIER

Directed by Julian Gilbey
Certificate 18

BASED on fact, this blood-stained foray into the murky depths of the Essex underworld starts off with three bodies lying in a morgue. Who are they? And how did they get there?
It transpires that the cadavers are the trio who were found shot-gunned to death in a Range Rover in a wood in that notorious gangland murder in 1995.
How they got there is the theme of a disturbing look at the unsavoury world of sleazy clubs and drug-related crime seen through the eyes of Carlton (Ricci Harnett), a thug who began his career on the soccer terraces. “He’s an inspiration to us all,” someone remarks fondly as a rival fan is head-butted to the ground.
Eventually our boy is promoted into the ranks as a “footsoldier” for a psychotic drug baron (an alarming performance from Terry Stone) and becomes one of the most feared figures in the neighbourhood.
But everything has a price, and the muscular young tearaway ends up a pouchy, overweight loser with nothing in the bank except his reputation.
The early soccer riots are filmed in frightening close-up, as the gangs clash in the streets like a bunch of wild animals. The screen is filled with enough mayhem, torture and casual violence to make Quentin Tarantino seem like a choirboy.
As you’ll gather, this one is not for the squeamish. But the powerhouse direction from Julian Gilbey and some terrific acting create a scenario that has a ghastly fascination about it.

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