rise of the footsoldier follow the unrelentingly cruel journey of gangster carlton leach and his associate through drug and violence and sex and violence and gun and violence and do i mention violence . protagonist carlton leach ( ricci harnett ) and member of the i. c. f ( inner city firm ) while a group of football hooligan turn professional gangster and guide the audience through the event lead to the 1995 range rover killing and in which three gang member fell victim to particularly vicious professional hit . leach success a a doorman and talent for locate aptly violent friend to control unruly punter at a local nightclub launch him into the company of notorious drug dealer and gangster and profitably benefit from the 80s/90s rave scene and drug culture . open with brutally realistic shot of the dead men and the viewer be leave thirsty to understand what happen and but leave wholly unsatisfied . the next 2 hour meander through a series of countless character introduction . each of these basically establish yet another typical hard man and show him assault usually undeserving victim and before probably come to an even nasty end . what little emotional understand the audience be allow to form for a few of the character ( for example a family man blame for miss drug ) be quickly destroy when they be either anti climactically kill and or their storyline leave unresolved . the hint of a plot introduce in the beginning be inadequately conclude with vague impression of how the murder occur and a the event be slot into place with little reward for persevere with the hazy muddle of previous event . this film have be make with a standard formula in mind and for an audience who prefer violence and ard nut slang to an actual storyline . rise of the footsoldier borrow too much from football factory and leave out the good bit and demonstrate no moral ramification of hooligan subculture or establish empathy with the protagonist . the violence and although brilliantly shoot and seem excessive and implausible because no one be around long enough for the audience to form an emotional attachment . the implication that the gang be untouchable by the police be fair enough and but machete wield doorman regularly commit blatant murder in public place push the imagination of even the most willing viewer . the audience be leave bewildered a to the relevance of many key event and develop character that have no knock on effect on the eventual conclusion . attempted gritty realism be further destroy with a substance call truth serum and which the turkish mafia use to coax honest answer from unwilling individual . this be not the genre in which to invent psychologically unrealistic drug and and render the interrogation almost absurd . the actual scene of violence ( before become repetitive ) hold some tension and splice with rapid flash of colour or the end of a film reel . seamlessly choreograph brawl couple with obligatory but effective shaky hand hold camera work save the film and but unfortunately the plot ( or lack there of ) limit it to a niche demographic . in essence and the event this film be base on aren not deservedly represent and and an adequately sequential storyline be sacrifice for stereotypical character and an unoriginal plot . this film have a place in the market and but if you like a bit of brain with your brutality this one isn not for you . http represent or or www . obsessedwithfilm . com or .