Rock et escrocs

Guy Ritchie's latest venture into the gangster genre feels a bit like déjà vu, doesn't it? I mean, the man's got a knack for weaving tales of theft and deception, but it's starting to feel a tad repetitive after he knocked it out of the park with two stellar flicks in the same vein.

Remember "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"? That was a riot, mainly because of the quirky characters Ritchie cooked up. Then came "Snatch," which had its own brand of hilarity. But now, with "RocknRolla," it's like he's taken a dash of both those films and whipped up another batch. The characters are intriguing, sure, but the plot feels like it's been recycled, and things can get a bit messy along the way. Plus, the vibe's a tad darker this time, and the laughs aren't as frequent.

But hey, let's give credit where it's due. Technically speaking, the movie's still top-notch. And can we talk about the cast? Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Tom Wilkinson, Gerard Butler-talk about a lineup! Butler, especially, shines in those dance scenes with Thandie Newton and Tom Hardy.

So, yeah, "RocknRolla" is a decent flick, no denying that. It's just that the whole gangster shtick feels a bit worn out by now, you know?

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Guy Ritchie's mockney gangster films. I don't know what it is. I know that they're not very profound and have nothing to say, I know that they're a pure fantasy vision of British crime and I know that if you've seen Lock Stock, you've pretty much seen them all. And yet, as Ritchie returns for a third iteration of the only formula with which he's tasted success , I still find myself walking out of the cinema massively entertained.

RocknRolla does absolutely nothing new. A quick list of things it shares with Lock Stock and Snatch would read thus: fast paced, witty dialogue; complex, interwoven plot threads; central McGuffin driving the mayhem (#1 antique shotguns, #2 huge diamond, #3 a lucky painting); smart, rapid editing; a mountain of Cockney crime stereotypes. Even things such as hard-as-nails Russian henchmen return. It completes the upward curve of scale in Ritchie's crime films: from a rigged card game to a rigged boxing circuit to rigged property development. The crime lords get larger in stature, the sums of money owed have more zeros on the end and the capers required to resolve the situation more grand, but it's still the same concept.

You'd think this was a list of criticisms, and if you found Snatch wearingly familiar you shouldn't need it spelling out that this film won't impress you. Looking for originality? Look elsewhere. RocknRolla may be pushing the formula a little bit, but if you accept that it's still enormous fun. Ritchie's directing is as proficient as ever, it moves at a merry old pace and the plot just about stays on the rails. The characters are endearing and there's plenty of laughs to be had. Other than its dearth of invention, the only real flaw with the film lies in the opening fifteen minutes, where Ritchie sets up the plot strands which will then unravel. Whereas previous films did this in a smooth, unforced way, here Ritchie lathers it with a liberal helping of voice-over narration so there's absolutely no confusion possible as to who is who and what they're after, which on many occasions extends to pointing out the bleeding obvious. Show don't tell- it's the first rule in the book Ritchie! It may be getting to the point where RocknRolla must go down as a guilty pleasure, but guilty pleasures are often the most fulfilling kind. And so it is here.

This is such a well made movie with an amazing cast.

Many greats in this and all play their roles perfectly.

Start to finish, this is an underrated classic.

Good action, good pace and a fantastic tale that really hits the mark.

No mail character, as such as every character is a main character.

I liked Cookie but everyone does well.

Guy Ritchie really delivered with this brilliant, fun, flick.

I'd love a #2 but we'll see if that ever happens.

Highly recommend this movie.

I think most people could appreciate it.

Mark Strong, brilliant as always.

Idris is too cool and Butler and Hardy show a lot of chemistry.

Love seeing Jeremy Piven too, what a legend.

Overall, a fantastic film, for everyone.

I enjoy Guy Ritchie films and this was good but not to the level of some of his other films but Guy does seem to be able to pick a good cast

I am yet to see a bad Guy Ritchie film. This British comedy-crime thriller is carried by loyalty and betrayal.

The underworld has always been portrayed as a survivor series of some "only the strong survive" sort of manner; the guardian angel of the streets has only gotten so far through mischievous and bad business practices.

This movie tries to attack that ideology and in its place, reflect on the makeup of the personas behind the scenes, not the actual scenes.

One Two (Gerard Butler) and Mumbles (Idris Elba) tell the story but the true mastermind of all the mishaps that occur throughout the movie is hidden behind a familiar face in the entire transaction. No honor among thieves, indeed.

Truly enjoyable movie.