My review from U.K. theatrical release...

One thing's for sure: You'll never have seen anything quite like it... (WARNING! CONTAINS PARTIALLY CONCEALED PROFANITY.), 13 December 2001

Author: Howlin Wolf from Oldham, Gtr Manchester, England.


I was always looking forward to this. Its seemingly fairytale genesis was much heralded in UK film publications like "Empire". Writer Stel Pavlou wrote the script while he was working in an off-license and somehow brought it to the attention of Samuel L. Jackson, who decided he wanted to make it, bagging himself an 'executive producer' credit into the bargain. It's an unlikely combination of events, and one that should give heart to all aspiring scribes like myself. You can see why Jackson took an interest; after all, its not EVERY script that casts him as a kilt-wearing master chemist by the wonderful name of Elmo McElroy, who comes to Liverpool to hawk his new drug around the streets. Add to the mix the always superb Bobby Carlyle, and a similarly eclectic supporting cast; and you should have got yourself a film. Right?

Initially no. My friend had heard rumblings of discontent and was reluctant to watch. After the first 10 minutes I began to wonder if he was right. The film tries pitifully hard to be cool and plainly isn't. First impressions are that director Yu has obviously been watching "Lock, Stock..." and copying all of its worst excesses; there's the weird camera angles, jump-cutting and blatantly unrelated soundtrack all in evidence. Definitely not a good start...

THEN Samuel L. Jackson gets to appear onscreen post-flashback, and hey presto, now the film IS cool. There's something strangely funny about hearing Jackson using his trademark and calling all those Liverpudlians 'motherf--kas'. It's something that I never thought I'd hear, but I'm glad I did! Unfortunately, we also have to put up with Meatloaf as an annoying crime boss, but Sam just about overcomes this distraction.

Our first introduction to the character of Felix is hardly promising either; a scouse loudmouth who hates Americans. We're supposed to find this funny because we're British and proud of it? Sorry, but it didn't work, it just seemed like a symptom of a script in dire need of a lethal injection.

Then suddenly something clicks when the characters aren't forced to walk around in their own orbit and are actually stuck together. There is great comic interplay between Jackson and Carlyle and a barrage of weird and wonderful characters are introduced. Once the dynamic duo of the two stars are together, the film seems to forget about being cool in the stylish sense of the word, and instead concentrates on being 'cool' as in inventive and funny. That works much better.

By far the standout performer is Rhys Ifans as 'Iki'. Surprisingly, his scouse accent is better than Carlyle's, and he delivers his lines with relish. Mortimer as also good - and sexy - as Felix's hitwoman ex-girlfriend Dakota.

You'll like this if you like surprises and don't particularly care about logic or realism. It's a film that by rights should have only been a novelty, but gradually becomes a 'proper' British action comedy with hints of Hollywood style as it progresses. The schizophrenic cocktail of ingredients may not be to everyone's taste, but my tagline says it all, you WON'T have seen anything like it. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you to decide after watching. I had a good time, despite a shaky start. The humour is defiantly English - even scouse - (swearing, fish & chips and football, where this disgruntled Red Devil watched Liverpool beat Man Utd again - sigh) so it may not travel well overseas, but give it a try.

"Do I look like I've got Jim'll Fix It tattooed on my f-ckin forehead?!!!" 8/10.
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