You
may question the wisdom
of placing a review
of a film like Snatch
on the site, especially
since a fair proportion
of our visitors are
unable to go see the
film at the cinema.
However, it still
deserves a mention
and in any case those
of you unable to see
it at the cinema can
watch it on its DVD
or VHS release.
Snatch
is the follow up to
the immensely popular
Lock, Stock and Two
Smoking Barrels and
like its older brother
is a British gangster
movie. The Gangster
genre is quickly becoming
a bit of a trademark,
much like Westerns
are in the States.
If you have never
seen Lock, Stock I
suggest you do - I
caution you however,
that it is violent,
sometimes excessively
so but it is also
very funny.
The
plot in Snatch revolves
around a stolen diamond
and the several characters
who get mixed up in
trying to retrieve
it. Basically it is
lifted straight from
Lock, Stock - replace
the guns/cash/drugs
with a diamond and
you have your story.
This really doesn't
impact on the film
too much, of course
it isn't original
but it really doesn't
matter as long as
the film is enjoyable.
The
setup to the finale
is much like guy ritche's
previous film as well,
there are differing
plot threads which
initially seem to
have little to do
with one another which
eventually all come
together at the end.
Unlike Lock, Stock
(for me at least)
you can see this coming,
I guess this type
of thing only works
on you once and forever
after you can tell
what is going to happen.
They
are perhaps the only
problems with the
film and really they
don't impact too greatly
on your enjoyment
- unless of course
you must have something
entirely original
to watch (I bet you
haven't seen anything
good in a long time
in that case).
The
characters are the
best part, Guy Ritchie
does a wonderful job
of bringing each of
them alive, something
which can be difficult
in something as short
as your average movie.
They can come across
as a little stereotypical
- Boris the Russian
Bullet Dodger for
example, but it doesn't
matter.
They
are introduced much
like they are in Lock,
Stock - with freeze
frames of the character
and their name appearing
on screen. It is a
trick which works
well and saves using
valuable screen time
to build the character
through words. Bullet
Tooth Tony (Vinny
Jones) is introduced
via a scene in which
he is banging a car
door again an unfortunate
bloke's head. Obviously
this is a homage to
his role in Lock,
Stock but you get
the character instantly
and nothing further
really needs to be
said.
Brad
Pitt steals the show
as "One Punch
Mickey", the
gypsy bare knuckle
boxer - he has only
ten minutes of screen
time, but it seems
as if he is in the
entire movie such
is his impact. The
accent he puts on
is just amazing, there
isn't a hint of an
American twang anywhere
- it isn't as incomprehensible
has some people have
said, then again coming
from Scotland I'm
used to thick accents!
Frankly it is worth
going to see the movie
just for Pitt's performance,
it is that good.
Snatch
is filled with black
comedy moments, they
are laugh out loud
funny rather than
smile to yourself
funny. The best scene
is when Bullet Tooth
Tony and the American
are driving in a car
one way, with Boris
the Russian in the
boot and Turkish (the
"main" character
so to speak) and Tommy
are driving the other
way. Turkish is drinking
milk, which Tommy
takes off him because
it is bad for him
(apparently) and throws
it out the window.
It splashes all over
the windscreen of
Tony's car causing
it to crash into a
bollard. Boris somehow
manages to get out
of the boot and wander
still blindfolded
into the middle of
the road where he
is hit by the on coming
Turkish.
Words
really can't convey
just how funny that
scene is, the editing
is amazing and makes
the play work - its
a visual gag which
you just have to see.
Overall,
this is one of the
best movies of the
"summer"
- Ritche manages to
portray again, an
excellent gangster
tale with humour.
Of course it is similar
to Lock, Stock and
that is its only downfall.
If it wasn't for the
previous film, a Platinum
plated Banana would
have been awarded,
as it is one banana
is what the film receives.
If you can, go visit
your nearest cinema
as soon as possible,
if you can't you should
be awaiting its DVD
release eagerly.
//agi.
[agi@fsmail.net]