Mo Ali’s futuristic knife-crime drama brings the dystopian environment of CHILDREN OF MEN and DISTRICT 13 to London’s East 17. SHANK delivers a ruthless vision of forthcoming urban life, where guns have been superseded by knives and are fiercely wielded by aimless youths. Amidst the chaos is the Paper Chazers gang, a rare morally conscious group who trade scavenged food for money. After Chazers gang member, Junior (Kedar Williams-Stirling), witnesses his brother, murder he must decide whether to get revenge of stick to the gangs moral code... In this superbly paced and artistic film, present-day social issues, and murky city streets, provide a perfect canvas for imagination and action.
Reviews
Yes, London is deteriorating, thanks largely to these juvenile criminals whose life revolves around drugs and violence. Stay away from this movie: it has NO redeeming features, is a total waste of time, unless perhaps you are doing serious research into the mindset of these hooligans who threaten all of us. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. NOT recommended, deserves a ZERO reating. #
From the upstart, this film does not know what it wants to be.In one instant, it tries to be a Noel Clarke 'ghetto' type movie, and in the next, it wants to be some steam punk movie from the eighties.It fails on every level, but it demands to be watched until the very end, because of its random set pieces, and really uncomfortable comedy.Set in the future, or five tears away, there is a shortage of food, and people now freerun or ride bikes for transport.Rich people still eat sandwiches, but hey, this film is aimed at the white collar wearing sun readers of the future, and this is another chink in its armour, it doesn't know how to treat the demographic its aiming at.So instead of sending out a message, it treats us to everyone's favourite screen hoodie Adam Deacon vomiting and talking the lingo he does in every. Single. Film. He's. In.there's a random CGI segment thrown in, and an animated segment to try and make it a little more cool, but again, it fails.The film has tried too hard to be something different, and this is destined to become obscure very, very soon.
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning From the makers of Kidulthood, proclaims this latest, modest budget slice of 'urban' life, and indeed, we're on very similar ground. Only set in the future, a very depressing, dangerous future that looks only too likely to be a reality, where knife crime and gangs have taken over a decaying London and it's a fight for survival that nothing short of a BNP government might have prevented.Shank does little to go in any direction other than any other film aimed at the 'yout'' culture of today goes, throwing all the common street lingo, slang and style in the face of it's audience, even the title a hideous term for stabbing somebody. It tries to throw in what it thinks is the odd little inventive touch here and there, but it is little more than another sad reflection of where our young people are today and where they're going. **
I will have to be extremely short and punctual cause this flick doesn't even deserve more than 2 sentences. Absolute parody of a movie, bad screenplay, worse acting, cheap characters, and for Christ sake this is not English that is spoken, but some degenerated conceptual slang, that is absolutely impossible to get.Not only for jokes, but also simple lines. I'm absolutely glad its over, and will free my harddrive from this non- sense right away. Whoever understands 3 sentences in a row of the speech involved is a superhero according to me. Don't waste money on a sequel, and maybe offer with English subtitles, although I am not sure it will help.Boo
