Review of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels: The Director`s Cut

Video

If you thought The Matrix used slow motion and freeze frames to great effect, you ain`t seen nothing yet. This is a visual feast of clever camera work, frozen images accompanied by narration, blurs, clever editing, you name it Lock, Stock does it. All with a brown cast I might add, giving everything the muddy underworld look.

This being the Directors Cut, you would expect lots of meaningful new footage, well don`t. There is a bit at the beginning which really should be at the end, three nice outtakes sliced into the end credits, an extended card scene and a few extra short lines of dialog here and there. Add something extra to the film they do not, it could (and does) easily live without them.

The quality of the transfer is okayish, having compared it to the original I can`t see that much of a difference, the only significant improvement on the previous release is the bit transfer rate is a lot higher. But since everything on screen is somewhat soft to start with, you will be hard pressed to notice.

Audio

The music really drives this film along, no orchestral numbers just loads of classic tracks old and new. Think of Pulp Fiction, The Goodfellas and similarly styled gangster fodder, and you`ll get the idea.

Apart from the odd gun shot and card game scene, your subwoofer will earn a nice pleasant rest as will your rears. But this isn`t a blockbuster movie, thankfully just as well.

Features

Often with a Special Edition or Directors Cut you expect to get a bit above the norm, however all you do find on this new release is typical Region 2 extra material. That`s nothing but a trailer to those unaware. The menus are better than the previous version, but nothing special having mere short animation and sound clicks accompanying each section. But nothing here to write home about, and certainly hundreds of miles from the DVD you show off to your friends.

Conclusion

This is an absolutely great British film, and will no doubt be joining the ranks of such classics as The Italian Job in good time, it even shares a similar ending. Plus its east end talk all the way, cockney rhyming slang taken to a point where Americans would be screaming for a translator. You could risk comparing it to Pulp Fiction, but this would be unfair as the London based gangsters seem far more mean and armed with a better sense of humour.

The acting is pretty much superb throughout, with Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran and Jason Statham perfectly cast as the lead foursome stuck with a huge debt to clear. The script is excellent, and many a phrase thrown nonchalantly will bring at least a smirk to your face. A special mention is deserved for Vinnie Jones debue, he pulls off being the most relaxed and yet most violent character in the film with ease.

Writer and director Guy Ritchie has produced a golden egg as his first outing on the big screen, his visual style and smart story telling are clearly influenced by many other films, yet the result is original. Although on a first viewing back during its theatrical showing, I felt the story was just too well tied together, a repeat viewing has even put that minor gripe to rest.

If you already own a copy of Lock, Stock on DVD then there is no point forking out the extra dough for the non DC version, you will gain nothing but a stinging sensation in your wallet by purchasing this one. But if you`ve not bought it yet, this is the one to go for, its a modern classic and perfect antidote to all known Hugh Grant comedys.