Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980 (2009)

Excellent but underrated film

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's not necessary to have seen the first of this trilogy, "Red Riding: In the year of our lord 1974", but I would still recommend it if you have the option. Though this is better and more interesting, the first is still very good, though might be a let down compared to this second. I rated "1974 to a 7 of 10, and this is a 8,5, so I've voted 9, because it's simply not a 7,2 which is the current rating.Without revealing any plot either from "1974" or "1980" the films are both very well made. artful, beautiful though gloomy and bleak. Fantastic filming, simply first class when it comes to ideas as well as angles and thought put into every scene. Stunningly beautiful and very believable, and solid British in style.A special group is sent to Yorkshire to investigate the Yorkshire Rippedr case, which now has turned up 13 dead women, and is riding the police force and the British public as a mare. But why is the police so ineffective? Right from the start you are into the suspense.The acting is electric, with Paddy Considine in his best role of the ones I've seen. but every single one acting here is amazingly good. Solid and electric. I was literary glued in front of this. Compelling and riveting film making. James March has directed the film perfectly, and all is put into 90 minutes of brilliance. One of those films you decide you want to see again, before the end credits are over.

This is part 2 in the trilogy, also known as the "non-awaited sequel" to one of the most dreary and depressing films of all time. I did review the first part, and so, duly forewarned BY READING MY OWN REVIEW, I did indeed know what I was getting myself into, but I have always liked watching Paddy Considine work at his craft, and that was my reason for continuing. The story? Deep, dark, bleak, corruption in a police department that is itself located in one of the deepest and darkest parts of England. How bleak you ask?? Let me simply say that the main story, the corruption, is set against a narrative backdrop of a serial killer who is also known as the "Ripper" -- and that part of the story generally offers the viewer a refreshing and upbeat tempo change from the central theme. Note, BTW, how the number of IMDb members reviewing this second part has dropped dramatically from the first. This trilogy is almost a psychological marathon, and those who can't take the pain, or fear they may possibly do themselves harm, just fall by the wayside and wait for the Red Cross van to collect them. In my review of Part I, I noted that the ending, amazingly, redeemed the entire production. I wish I could say the same here, but, as I write this, they are removing my belt and shoelaces...

The second part of the RED RIDING trilogy takes up the storyline three years later. The eventual capture of the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, serves to muddy the waters of investigation but a new detective aims to get to the bottom of the conspiracy.It's like the first film, but not. This is more of a police procedural, which may well be because of the detective lead (Considine gives a solid performance here). Once again, police corruption is the order of the day as we finally learn just how deep it goes.It suffers a little from being the middle film in a trilogy - thus only a few loose ends are tied up here - but makes up for that with an ultra-frightening performance from Sean Harris (ISOLATION) as one of the most disturbed coppers you'll ever see on screen.

The second installment in the Red Riding Trilogy set in 1980, is even better than the excellent first part. The putrid corruption of the West Yorkshire police is , if possible, more pronounced three years later. Their sheer incompetence is easily revealed during the desperate search for the Yorkshire Ripper,diabolical serial killer praying on prostitutes. The atmosphere of the second part of the trilogy is as a gloomy and depressing as ever,not unlike the lives of the unfortunate souls unlucky enough to end up in this hellhole of a place. I am eagerly awaiting the ending of this harrowing story in one of the best TV project I've seen after the legendary " Prime Suspect".