20 reviews
The film was not well written, acted or directed. There was one compelling scene towards the end of the scene but otherwise I was bored and frustrated at the lack of structure to the film.
The underlying story is solid and could potentially be a great movie, but not in the hands of this director. Acting was often wooden and scene transitions didn't flow well.
- rich-grindell
- May 25, 2018
- Permalink
- nogodnomasters
- Aug 2, 2018
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- peterp-450-298716
- Jul 24, 2014
- Permalink
Woeful..tripe...horrible acting and script... shocking. Much like the troubles it's self no one walks away from this with a clean conscience.
- damienmccrea
- Aug 15, 2018
- Permalink
I'm on a free trial with Amazon Prime and have been binge watching movies, most of which are new to me. This was such a one. It's a revenge and "who is doing it" movie. These movies, by their nature, almost force you to stay to the end.
Towards the end some of the perpetrators reveal themselves and explain their personal reasons for their deeds. (Some of those deeds are carried out in situations that require people to do things at precisely the right location and precisely the time. The planning is immaculate and everybody who they are after is in the right place at the right time. For instance, going to the chip shop for supper or changing ties on mannikins in a shop window display,)
There is also, I think, an underlying bit of police/political skulduggery. which left be totally baffled.
Colm Meaney is the old, wise to the ways of the Belfast world cop who has monologues on history, philosophy, cynicism, wisdom. At one time he talks at length in an empty room. I thought it was empty but the a wife turns up later in the movie. He has earlier declared that he has lost everything that mattered to him. Not her, obviously.
Overall, the impression is that the film starts off with an interesting set up but no one had an ending in mind and they cobbled it together as the budget ran out. Very poor on everyone's part. Rubbish!
Watch the film it's not a gore fest! We really enjoyed it, keep an open mind.
Having checked the IMDB ratings, I decided not to watch it. I couldn't find anything else I fancied, so watched it anyway! Not the greatest film ever, but, I think, better than the awful reviews.
Having checked the IMDB ratings, I decided not to watch it. I couldn't find anything else I fancied, so watched it anyway! Not the greatest film ever, but, I think, better than the awful reviews.
- nigelswampsnake
- May 6, 2022
- Permalink
- MyaGolightly
- May 11, 2014
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- DavidM1275
- Mar 28, 2014
- Permalink
I must admit I was skeptical about this one at first but I thought I'd at least give a local film a chance. Let me say this; I was pretty surprised.
Going in expecting some sort of troubles rehash the first few scenes immediately set the film in a more gritty reality. With a nice balance between familiar scenery and bloody murders the film flows better than I'd have thought and haunting music gave the whole piece additional atmosphere.
Colm Meaney certainly pulled his weight as an aging detective alongside a cast which seemed to be entirely Irish (which was nice, none of those awful fake accents American films are always using). The only non-local I noticed was Malcolm Sinclair and he was almost as good as Colm so it's easy to overlook. Over all the acting pleasantly surprised me, proving our performing heritage once more.
The concept is definitely daring and certain areas might struggle a little now and then from the sheer weight but having seen it for myself I'm surprised by the bad press it's gotten, especially for a local film. I know I myself will recommend it, a good film that is also locally made and acted deserves all the support it gets
Going in expecting some sort of troubles rehash the first few scenes immediately set the film in a more gritty reality. With a nice balance between familiar scenery and bloody murders the film flows better than I'd have thought and haunting music gave the whole piece additional atmosphere.
Colm Meaney certainly pulled his weight as an aging detective alongside a cast which seemed to be entirely Irish (which was nice, none of those awful fake accents American films are always using). The only non-local I noticed was Malcolm Sinclair and he was almost as good as Colm so it's easy to overlook. Over all the acting pleasantly surprised me, proving our performing heritage once more.
The concept is definitely daring and certain areas might struggle a little now and then from the sheer weight but having seen it for myself I'm surprised by the bad press it's gotten, especially for a local film. I know I myself will recommend it, a good film that is also locally made and acted deserves all the support it gets
There is no redeeming quality to this film whatsoever. Atrocious writing, directing and acting. A director who clearly has never watched a film in his entire life. All the positive reviews are obviously fake it's the only possible explanation. It's no surprise this director wasn't allowed to make another feature after this one. I'm embarrassed for Meany.
- derekshannon
- Oct 15, 2020
- Permalink
Well, that's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.
I had high hopes for this, despite the furore around the press pack I was keen to see this movie and see how they would handle a (sort of) non troubles related movie. Well, the answer is they couldn't have got it more wrong. The acting was poor for the most part, Colm tries but you can't carry a movie with just one guy; the dialogue made me cringe more than once, cheesy and unrealistic (I live in Belfast but even allowing for a wider audience -come on!) and the characterisation and motivations were barely plausible at best. I still don't know what message they were leaving the audience with and I think that's what bothers me most
If I could, I would have rated this 0 out of 10 but apparently that's not allowed.
I had high hopes for this, despite the furore around the press pack I was keen to see this movie and see how they would handle a (sort of) non troubles related movie. Well, the answer is they couldn't have got it more wrong. The acting was poor for the most part, Colm tries but you can't carry a movie with just one guy; the dialogue made me cringe more than once, cheesy and unrealistic (I live in Belfast but even allowing for a wider audience -come on!) and the characterisation and motivations were barely plausible at best. I still don't know what message they were leaving the audience with and I think that's what bothers me most
If I could, I would have rated this 0 out of 10 but apparently that's not allowed.
- Muntfunter
- Sep 28, 2013
- Permalink
Pretty much the worst NI film that has ever been made, and I sat through A prayer for the dying. This is much worse. I kept waiting for balance, but apparently only one side was responsible for killing in Northern Ireland during the troubles (news to me) which is why they are soo troubled by their consciences, even unto public apologies. No mention of the innocent victims of the security forces, whether in uniform or out, let alone the mass murder of innocents carried out by so-called "loyalist" gangs. No, it's much simpler than that, the IRA were the bad guys plain and simple. And the RUC? Well they were the good guys of course...honest hard- working arbiters wedged between the IRA and innocent civilians.. The British seem to have been airbrushed completely out of Troubles history...well OK, that little adaptation of history is the starting point and it still manages to go downhill after that. And what exactly is "the Northern Ireland Police Service"? Last time I checked it was "The Police Service of Northern Ireland" - although this departure from any reality is quite consistent with the events portrayed, the acting, the dialogue (OMG awful), the characters, the plot and just about everything else. WTF was the fish and chips scene about? What was all that tripe the 'Chief Constable' was banging on about. And the funeral scene? just what the hell was going on there? Swerve this one as hard as you can. If you're interested in 'Troubles' movies, watch 'In the name of the father', or the excellent 'Bloody Sunday' And keep an eye out for the longest overdue film in history, 'Britain's state sponsored mass murder in N. Ireland', but don't hold your breath waiting for it if this is the kind of thing that gets a green light these days.
- ferdia-53508
- Jul 4, 2015
- Permalink
- mrmorrison38
- Oct 4, 2013
- Permalink
The situation was, and still remains, far more complex than is portrayed in a film that predictably portrays one side as being a victor of what constituted a bloody, internecine civil war.
Unfortunately the dewy eyed, Boston Irish sentiment for supposed Irish ancestry and the glamour of the IRA has prevailed over the historical bigotry that lies behind a conflict that can never be won as long as there remains division in Christianity (catholicism and protestantism alike). And, indeed, Rome's refusal to intercede and the alignement of terrorist factions across the world are very much interlinked (Basque separatism, pro-Gaddafi Lybian factions, illicit arms sales, etc) has left us all with a legacy insofar as dealing with urban terrorism.
This film totally fails to take account of the many factors that remain today, and is smug and inaccurate. Yes, I am Irish (Dublin) and brought up as a Catholic.
Unfortunately the dewy eyed, Boston Irish sentiment for supposed Irish ancestry and the glamour of the IRA has prevailed over the historical bigotry that lies behind a conflict that can never be won as long as there remains division in Christianity (catholicism and protestantism alike). And, indeed, Rome's refusal to intercede and the alignement of terrorist factions across the world are very much interlinked (Basque separatism, pro-Gaddafi Lybian factions, illicit arms sales, etc) has left us all with a legacy insofar as dealing with urban terrorism.
This film totally fails to take account of the many factors that remain today, and is smug and inaccurate. Yes, I am Irish (Dublin) and brought up as a Catholic.
- bastard-cynical
- Mar 1, 2014
- Permalink
I think the press in the UK and Northern Ireland gave this movie a hard time due to their issue with the press pack that was sent out (which was misinterpreted by the all too touchy reviewers).
On watching it I thought it was a great concept, great story line and the visuals were top notch. Maybe the odd accent was a little off, but I've seen bigger productions with the same. The initial animation on the history of northern Ireland was fantastic! There was a couple of jumps during the movie that I quite liked.
And the questions raised really are relevant to the current Irish political climate, post the Good Friday Agreement.
Overall it was worth the watch and is leaves you thinking about Justice, Peace, Revenge, Forgiveness and what they really mean.
On watching it I thought it was a great concept, great story line and the visuals were top notch. Maybe the odd accent was a little off, but I've seen bigger productions with the same. The initial animation on the history of northern Ireland was fantastic! There was a couple of jumps during the movie that I quite liked.
And the questions raised really are relevant to the current Irish political climate, post the Good Friday Agreement.
Overall it was worth the watch and is leaves you thinking about Justice, Peace, Revenge, Forgiveness and what they really mean.
- jtodonovanmcrd
- Sep 22, 2013
- Permalink
Please please please don't watch this.
Maybe the worst movie ever. No plot. Acting terrible. To make it even worse I paid 99p to watch it.
- belfastrix
- Jan 20, 2021
- Permalink
- rochfordsimon
- Nov 24, 2021
- Permalink
- glennwalsh44
- Apr 11, 2022
- Permalink