Villain (2020)

The main character is somehow watchable , all others just basic actors trying too hard . The stripper is bad at acting , the story trying too hard to be gangster .

Fmovies: For all of us who likes the revenge films, even on the most extreme allas dismembering the enemy litterally speaking makes you feel good. a sick thought but this is the kind. it has a bit of bronson and the quite look -alike american actor that i cant remember the name of , he is a taek-won-do champ in real life, that stands up for the family and friends whether its a good or bad choice. its the kind of anti-matter -hero that lurkes in the back allies in the wasted parts of the big city ,and the essex area of good old england, that follows the thin red line of gangster/mobster and hooligan inspired flicks made since the early 80's

ive seen craig fairbrass et company in a lot of films lately, and this one are among the better considering acting and story so there for its a recommend from the grumpy old man. just beware, its not for the small ones, my wife would shadowed away quite fast, and you should be able to handle blood and gore, and a whole lot of bad language to watch this flick and genre.

its better than the previous marbella, but couldve been even better if the economic wings had been larger, but its worth the look

Solid movie, good casting, well played parts. Not a major blockbuster circus, clear and precise story.

Villain fmovies. Authentic, engaging and very emotional. Presented beautifully by a super talented cast and produced in a first class style. After weeks of anticipation I was blown away by this film and was completely drawn in from the opening scene. This is what British films are about. Please let there be more like this.

This was a sold British film about a man who after spending ten years in prison, gets released, only to to learn that his brother has gotten into a bad business drug deal and tries to saves him from the people he owes money to. But the twist comes at the last part of the movie and culminates in the betrayal of a brother's trust. The end scene truly reminds me of the ending of Carlito's Way....solid.

The British crime and gangster genre is one which has been exploited by a number of very low end productions of late that have given it something of a poor reputation. It's much to the credit of the team behind Villain, that someone clearly sat down and said 'How can we make something more powerful and meaningful with characters in that world?' because this film very much suceeds in doing so on many levels.

Eddie Franks (Craig Fairbrass in an extremely well measured performance) is a man just released from prison, trying to start a new life and avoid his old criminal ways. His younger brother Sean (The excellent & underated George Russo who also co-wrote the film) unfortunately owes money to local villain Roy Garret (Robert Glenister, played with appropriate menace) The opening scenes for both brothers marks their different paths from outset. Sean's life revolves arounding his coke addicted dsyfunctional girlfiend and wheeling and dealing with rumours following him that he might be an informer for the Police. Eddie wants to do up their old pub and run an honest business. A fight with two local heavies soon brings Eddie to the attention of the Garrets and Sean can't control his drug issues or their debts. (Look out for rising star Taz Skylar, as Sean's dealer, Jason) Eddie also tries to re-connect with his estranged daughter Chole and meets old friend, the successful Michael (The criminally underused Mark Monero, great that he is given a decent role here) and has dinner with his family where they recount the old days (A scene so naturual it could have been improvised) and Michael longs for the old life which Eddie assures him is 'long gone'. When Eddie takes on his brothers debt and tries to protect those he cares about, the scene is set for unstoppable forces to collide in a manner that will change everyone's lives forever.

Villian is driven by two superb performances in Fairbrass & Russo, whose characters feel real and belivable in the world they inhabit. Topics around child abandonment and fatherhood normally not given screen time in such dramas are given room to breathe here, which only adds to the stakes for Franks character and makes the ending of the film more poignant. The scenes with his daughter ( A great turn from Izuka Hoyle) are well handled while Franks torment over re-offending is given equal consideration. Fairbrass has played similar characters before, but here he really gets to show his acting chops, his speech to the Garretts underscoring his talent quite vividly and he gives his character much light and shade in one of his best performances to date.

While some elements on the film feel familiar (And perhaps they should) the grim realaties in taking a life, for example, are not something normally dwelled upon. This is not a film advocating violence, quite the opposite in fact. This is a production that feels everyone clearly understood the vision for this story and pulled in the same direction. Everything is a cut above the norm here, from the visuals of DOP Matthew Lewis, through to the performances of the supporting cast, production design and direction. It's not an unfair comment to say that the female roles are under-written but it is a male character driven story and I have no doubt that some scenes were included to tick a box for the distributor, but even the violence is shot with greater care and visual flair here. Phillip Barantini has brought a fresh, well crafted addition to this genre, which people will remember long after its imita