"LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS"
Blu-ray Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
BLURAY EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Jason Flemyng as TOM Dexter Fletcher as SOAP Nick Moran as EDDIE Jason Statham as BACON Steven Mackintosh as WINSTON Vinnie Jones as BIG CHRIS Sting as JD Rated R Studio: Universal Directed by: Guy Ritchie Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
When street hustler Eddie (Nick Moran) bets big on a huge underground poker game, he ends up owning money to the wrong people. He gets some help from his best mates Tom (Jason Flemyng), Bacon (Jason Statham) and Soap (Dexter Fletcher). This gritty, low-budget yet snappy look at a British underground crime ring jump started Guy Ritchie’s directorial career.
WHAT I LIKED
About ten years ago, I watched “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” on DVD after hearing all the hype. Back then, I wasn’t impressed, but I think that’s because I hadn’t warmed up to Guy Ritchie yet. After later watching films like “Snatch” and “RocknRolla,” I have learned to appreciate his then-groundbreaking cinema style.
It’s neat to revisit this film more than a decade after it was produced simply for how it looks in comparison to his follow-up work. What was so innovative and original then has been copied and mimicked over the past eleven years. Now, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” looks rather tame compared to a modern film.
Still, that doesn’t take away from the underground charm of this movie. The characters are bad guys that you want to root for, and Ritchie makes street thugs ultimately appealing. There’s a lot of films out there like “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” but this one is original, and few have captured the odd degree of warmth that Ritchie has for his characters.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
What turned me off originally with this film was the fact that the characters are all bad people. In a film like this, however, you can appreciate the criminal element a little bit. Still, there’s a murkiness to this film which comes from its gritty beginnings. While that can be endearing, it comes off as rough and unpolished, especially compared to how slick Ritchie’s future movies are.
Finally, as a fat guy living in the middle of Ohio, the British street accents can be hard to follow. I’ve heard accents like this before, but my poor little American ears just have some trouble deciphering them. Good thing there’s a “subtitles” button on my Blu-ray remote.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
This new Blu-ray transfer of the film looks great, and the sound really rocks on the proper Blu-ray-capable sound system. Few low-budget indies deserve a hi-def release, and this one does. Even with the low-budget nature of the film, it’s got a slick look that really pops in a strong visual presentation.
There are two featurettes in the bonus material, including “One Smoking Camera,” which looks at the cinematography of the movie, as well as “Lock, Stock and Two F**king Barrels,” which condenses the film’s profanity in a bite-sized bit.
Additional Blu-ray features includes access to Universal’s BD-Live Center and a D-Box Motion Enabled function.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of gangster movies, especially those from across the pond.
