Shank (2009)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Just perfect...

A Surprisingly Unforgettable Movie!

The movie is surprisingly subdued in its pacing, its characterizations, and its go-for-broke sensibilities.

I am so glad I finally got around to watching this title. It is by far the most original film with a gay central character that I have seen in a long while and I have seen plenty. Usually I tend to migrate towards foreign language films exploring gay subjects because their cultural take on gay life is oftentimes quite specific and original. I did not expect such originality from a British film and I can't understand how I missed it. To the naysayers on here I despair - it takes a brave person to write so convincingly and powerfully on a subject not explored before. The depiction of personal hatred and societal hatred was palpable and real. The making of revealed the myriad sources from which the idea had been researched and the significance of this tour de force really hit home. OK some of the acting is not quite on a par with more experience actors but the genuine grit and conviction in the performances made up for these excusable inadequacies. 10 out of 10 quite simply British at it's best. I could go on but I realise I am gushing - but I have to try and counter so much negative nonsense on here. Buy it, don't rent it and don't steal it off an illegal site (like a certain person I know did) - these film makers deserve to get every penny for their effort in the vain hope they make something as good again....

I'm going to start by saying that this film is one of the best examples of "deceptive advertising" as it was sold as a "Skins meets Latter Days" and it ended up being a dull story about disrupted teenagers. The lack of originality was the main plate.First of all that was not a gang by any means. It was simply a group of freaks vandalizing everything on sight and assaulting people just for fun. Gangs deal with drug trafficking, arms, robberies... You wanna watch a gang-related gay film try "Our Lady of the Assassins" that one does deal with the reality thousands of teenagers in gangs have to deal.Anyways, moving onto the characters none of them make anything good to the film. Cal was a complete fraud: Somehow "attracted" to his friend Jonno yet they never engage in anything and that sudden attraction to Olivier made no sense at all. Why would he help him in the first place? Love at first sight? It was a very ridiculous move. Jonno's attraction to Cal was way too obvious. So obvious that it makes you thing he was the "closeted gay trying to come out". During the first 20 mins. I thought they would eventually end up together. About Olivier could he be any more queerer? and well Nessa I don't even want to talk about her.However what made this film an unforgiven waste of time were those over-the-edge coincidences. Just look at this: Cal's boyfriend, Olivier, happened to be one of Scott's student. Scott hook up with the guy (Cal) who put his partner into comma while he was at the hospital. Oh what a coincidence! The filmmaker was trying to show his Gonzalez-Iñarritu's abilities but he failed big time.I wish I could have rated this 0/10.Cheers.

There are many great reviews for this film and I curious as to whether the low scoring ones aren't born of some vindictive bent. There is much to commend this film's fresh take and realisation of a difficult and under discussed issue of youth culture versus gay coming out. Fast paced, slick editing, booming soundtrack makes this a page turner of a film - excuse the mixed metaphor! The youthful inexperienced casting clearly adds some authenticity to this narrative but their intuited performances don't detract. I was given the DVD as a gift and it has been well played. The DVD extras in particular the making of reveal an earnest sincere desire from all involved to tackle homophobia in a uncompromising way - and it does. It's a brave and honestly executed British film....well done all involved.

This takes place in Bristol in the UK. Cal (Wayne Virgo) is part of a gang who go out and casually beat up people for no reason. Cal is also gay. He can't tell his gang and has anonymous degrading sex and tries to hide his feelings in drugs. Then one day his gang attack an innocent French student named Olivier (Marc Laurent). Cal intervenes and saves Olivier because he falls in love with him at first sight. They become lovers and the members of Cal's gang swear they will get back at him.SPOILERS! OK--there are plenty of problems here. Laurent is a dreadful actor and has NO chemistry with Virgo at all. Their relationship never rings true. The HEAVY British accents make most of the dialogue unintelligible. The rap music is very annoying. There's a twist near the climax involving Nessa (Alice Payne) that I didn't believe for a minute. And the rape scene at the end was too graphic and far too disturbing. However the plot is good and interesting. Virgo has a difficult role but pulls it off. Also he's a very handsome man and there's plenty of nude shots of him (front and back). The sex scene between Cal and Olivier is explicit but very erotic and hot! There's also plenty of simulated gay sex scenes and frequent male nudity. Also Tom Bott is excellent as Cal's best friend Junno. The sexual tension between those two was incredible. I wish the movie had been about them being lovers! Also their acting during the rape scene at the end was just superb.All in all its not without its faults but it does work. Graphic and powerful. I give it a 7.