Locke (Sean Bean) is a crime boss just released from prison and planning to regain his former position on top of Essex's criminal underworld. He meets up with Billy, a cabbie who... more
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Essex Boys [2000]
Essex Boysconstructs a fictional story around the infamous Range Rover murders in
... more
Rettenden, Essex, in which three local drug dealers were found blasted to death by shotguns. Driving for ex-con Jason Locke (Sean Bean) was just another job for Billy Rey...
Essex Boys [2000]
Essex Boysconstructs a fictional story around the infamous Range Rover murders in
... more
Rettenden, Essex, in which three local drug dealers were found blasted to death by shotguns. Driving for ex-con Jason Locke (Sean Bean) was just another job for Billy Rey...
Rettenden, Essex, in which three local drug dealers were found blasted to death by shotguns. Driving for ex-con Jason Locke (Sean Bean) was just another job for Billy Reynolds (Charlie Creed-Miles). But fresh out of a five-year stretch, Locke is looking to make up for lost time and begins a turf war. He stalks his manor with a menacing leer and a bottle of acid to throw in the face of anyone who gets in his way, and is given to Locke and his drug-dealing gang rely on brute strength to enforce their will, but when they decide to expand their game they underestimate the wiles of Billy's boss, countrified crime gent John Dyke. Southend's sunset strip of neon-fronted clubs and arcades, but fails to lift the plot of his film out of the Brit-gangster ghetto. That said, Winsor laudably plays it straight, avoiding the style over substance affectations of the genre, while coaxing believable performances out of his cast. --Chris CampionOn the DVD:the anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen transfer is good with little obvious grain and an above average level of detail. But it is the soundtrack that's really the star of this DVD. The intensity of the film and the relentless action from the outset (where you are thrust into the middle of a crowded nightclub) is really upped by the brilliant Dolby Digital 5.1 audio mix, resulting in the viewer feeling every gunshot. It's a good job that the soundtrack is so spectacular, since there are no special features except the usual suspects, the original theatrical trailer and scene access. --Kristen BowditchEssex Boysconstructs a fictional story around the infamous Range Rover murders in Rettenden, Essex, in which three local drug dealers were found blasted to death by shotguns. Driving for ex-con Jason Locke (Sean Bean) was just another job for Billy Reynolds (Charlie Creed-Miles). But fresh out of a five-year stretch, Locke is looking to make up for lost time and begins a turf war. He stalks his manor with a menacing leer and a bottle of acid to throw in the face of anyone who gets in his way, and is given to humiliating publicly his long-suffering wife Lisa (Alex Kingston). Locke and his drug-dealing gang rely on brute strength to enforce their will, but when they decide to expand their game they underestimate the wiles of Billy's boss, countrified crime gent John Dyke. Director Terry Winsor makes good use of locations, especially Southend's sunset strip of neon-fronted clubs and arcades, but fails to lift the plot of his film out of the Brit-gangster ghetto. That said, Winsor laudably plays it straight, avoiding thestyle over substance affectations of the genre, while coaxing believable performances out of his cast. --Chris Campion
brutality that litters his side of the Rettendon murders story. And justice, as opposed to man-made law, is his pre-occupation throughout. Standing toe-to-toe with Tony Thompson's account,Bloggs 19, what drives O'Mahoney's uneasy narrative is the belief that the two men jailed for the murder of three Firm members are innocent. One would be tempted to say that hoodlums assassinating hoodlums is itself a form of natural justice, and that Mick Steele and Jack Whomes were hardly angels, but that panders to the vengeful amorality endemic in that world. O'Mahoney was head doorman at Raquels nightclub in Basildon, where the ecstasy tablet was procured which killed Leah Betts. The dead girl's father holds O'Mahoney primarily responsible for her death, as he was aware of the drug dealing in the club. The first edition of this book, called "So This Is Ecstasy?", was initially withdrawn after Paul Betts objected to the use of the now-famous image of Leah on a life-support machine. Leah is one of the "victims" to whom the book is dedicated, while O'Mahoney's coldly staring eyes now fix you from the cover.From Brooklyn to Basildon, tales of aggression, loyalty, squabbles and double-dealing swagger fascinate "straight people", many of whom derive a voyeuristic, vicarious thrill. O'Mahoney's flat flow of anecdotes, in which much is left unsaid, builds towards Leah's death, and his own exit from Firm life, with a grim, despairing predictability, but it becomes increasingly difficult to separate the man from the self-glamorising existence of debt-collectors, doormen and gangsters, and the culture of blame and punishment it promotes. In one telling incident, David Arnell, the quietest of doormen, suddenly snaps and badly beats up a customer, illustrating how the atmosphere of violence proves the strongest narcotic of all. O'Mahoney is also the author ofSoldier of the Queen, a superior account, detailing his time serving in Northern Ireland, and which fills in much of the personal detail lacking here. Without that, this book-of-the-film-of-the-book, despite its lurid fascination, ultimately punches below its weight. --David Vincent
Production Year: 1991 - Thriller - Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes, Tim Burton, Julian Schnabel - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over
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Advantages: Great film based around true events Disadvantages: Not overly memorable
...of the gangster underworld, club and drug culture of East London and Essex were I suppose reasonably accurate. Certainly the writers and producers had researched things and Sean Bean did give a reasonably good performance.
Not the most memorable film but one which holds a particular significance to me. ...
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Advantages: True Story, Interesting Story Disadvantages: Not particularly slick, slow start.
...involved with the gangsters in Essex who controls nightclub security and hence supplies their shipments of illicit substances. Sean Bean plays Jason a nut case, who has been inside for 5 years and didn't tell any tales on his chums whilst doing time, but comes back in a bad mood because he doesn't get much reward for his silence and annoyed because all his boys are minted. THIS IS A TRUE STORY. It’s about an absolute hooligan (played very well ... ...edge, treats women terribly and doesn’t trust anyone. He’s not very smart either! The film takes a while to get going and there’s no real story for almost the first hour. There are just different scenes of violence and Bean re-establishing himself and making more money and taking over from different gangs. In these scenes you meet new characters, Beans sidekick (played by the bloke who robbed the train and did one to Acapulco with ...
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...toss up between MI2 and Essex Boys, Essex Boys won.
The film is derived from the Essex Range Rover murders case from three or four years ago. The potential for a good story was good but I came away dissappointed.
I you know the Southend area you'll me more interested in picking out local landmarks than the story line. The only decent character was the driver Billy Wizz. Sean Bean (the star) tried too hard to be Vinnie Jones, some of the humour ...
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08.08.2000
Nice Flick!! Review ofEssex Boys (Wide Screen)by
Rickysambo
Advantages: Good performances Disadvantages: Another 'Lahndon' Gangsta Flick
...an action/thriller based in the Essex underworld. It takes its main event - a multiple murder in a Range Rover - from a real event and puts a good story line around it. It is not the same league as Lock Stock but is still a good entertaining film. Sean Bean is very credible as the Hard Man, and has some good up-and-coming actors and actresses supporting him. The twists and turns in the plot offer plently of brain action as well as mindless violence ...
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12.11.2000
No Story Review ofEssex Boys (Wide Screen)by
lisamarieellis
Advantages: I got a pack of tortilla's Disadvantages: No story line
I went to see Essex boys with my other half last Saturday as he really wanted to see it, I had to miss the chance of around 5 drinks in the pub, we bought our tickets and walked into the small cinema room which then made me think this film isn't going to be good, the film began and after 15 minutes I just wanted to run out of the room, it had no story line, and they tried to put on the Essex accents its was so crap (excuse my language) and then they ...
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Actor(s): Sean Bean, Alex Kingston, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tom Wilkinson, Larry Lamb, Holly Davidson, Terence Rigby
Director(s): Terry Winsor
Genre: Thriller & Mystery - Thriller
Classification: 18 years and over
Production Year: 2000
Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Plot: Billy Reynolds had no idea that he would get so mixed up in the Essex underworld when he became a driver for a local villain...
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): PATHE DISTRIBUTION; 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Release date: 02/07/2001
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: P 9013 DVD
Producer: Jeff Pope
Composer: Colin Towns
Barcode: 5060002830529
Production Designer: Chris Edwards
Director of Photography: John Daly
Screenwriter: Jeff Pope, Terry Winsor
DVD Description
Locke (Sean Bean) is a crime boss just released from prison and planning to regain his former position on top of Essex's criminal underworld. He meets up with Billy, a cabbie who becomes intrigued by the power and thrills of a life of crime. Together they plan a deal with the local drug boss with explosive consequences. Also starring Alex Kingston (of TV's E.R.) as Locke's wife.
Languages
Main Language: English
Hearing Impaired Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Original Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English
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Listed on Ciao since : 21/07/2000
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