I loved it! It is so British!!!! (some dude - must be American - on IMDB said he stopped watching after a few minutes cuz he couldn't bear their accents!!!). And altho i was never a South London person (east-end boy i am), it was so nice to be transported back to London - even if it is the lessor known parts.
The quick review - good acting from the newbies, exciting, thrilling and funny too!
But i wanna talk a bit more about the movie - cuz it is more than just a typical alien invasion movie! You see, the main characters - can we call them the heroes? - were actually a bunch of teenagers who were foul-mouthed and goes around robbing and mugging people, picking on seemingly weaker victims.
To be honest, i din like them at all - and was a little dismayed when i realised that they were to be the main characters of the movie. How can i like a movie when i dun like the main characters? Yet, as the movie went on, more is revealed about these kids. No, they are still the rowdy gangsters - but there is more to them than that.
I've lived at the East End before, and i've visited the south too a few times. To be honest, it can be a little scary going down there. It is definitely not a place i'll be taking me mates and family if we go back to London!!! You'll see the hoodies there, and i would have felt most unsecured if i meself weren't an immigrant - and prolly looked just as scary too! Lol!
This movie however takes us deeper into their lives. You see the surroundings they are in, you see the conditions they live in, their family life (or lack of it) - and while i cannot condone what they do, i must admit that i sympatise with them.
If i were to grow up in such an area, i would prolly end up like them. How many teens there will grow up to be someone "respectful" in the eyes of the general public? If they do, it would prolly mean they left the area and moved to Kensington or Chelsea.
But in the south of London, we see the kids running around at night, unsupervised. We see a lack of role models - so the children look up to these muggers. We see that a sense of accomplishment, of moving up in life, is when the resident drug dealer gives you some stash to sell on the streets! We understand to a certain extent why the young people grow up with a hatred towards the authorities. After all, they feel neglected, sidelined, discriminated.
In a light-hearted scene, a nurse tells one of these teens about her boyfriend who is a volunteer nurse helping children in Africa - and the teen asks - honestly, i'm sure - why does he have to go all the way to Africa? Are there not children here who needs help too?
Witty - but it struck a chord. It is true to a certain extent, isn't it?
I feel so sad for these children - this is the life they have. If i was fatalistic, i would say that fate had dealt then an unfortunate start in their lives. And i am so thankful for the good influence and the opportunities available for me since young.
It was heartening tho to see that despite what they do, they have a great sense of loyalty to each other, responsibility and courage - more than others who may think they are better people!
But what can we do to help them? I really dun know. When i studied criminology last time, we considered if growing up in such an environment will result in them being criminals. It would probably be the result - although not necessarily so. Perhaps giving them education, showing them love, giving them opportunities, etc, all these may help? Who do we blame? The parents for neglecting their children and thus perpetuating a vicious circle where they will grow up to be similar parents? The givernment for not doing enuf for them?
Of us, the society at large for making them who they are but judging them, ostracising them and dsicriminating against them?
*The last single for his album Repeat Offender.
No comments:
Post a Comment