Blitz (2011) User Reviews

Good but not great.

[Greenzombidog · 7/10 · 26 May 2011]

A cop killing crim is giving the police the run around in old London town.

Blitz is a good movie that finally comes to life about 20 to 30 minutes in when we finally get to the main story. Once the chase is on with the odd couple partnership of tough rule breaking Tom Brant (Jason Statham) and gay straight laced Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) pursuing the cop killing criminal who's hungry for notoriety the Blitz (Aiden Gillen) the movie comes into it's stride. Before that we're inundated with so many characters it's a little confusing. What makes matters worse is that none of these side characters stories are ever really finished and the time wasted on them could have been spent giving a little more screen time to Porter Nash who is sadly underused.

Don't get me wrong though I enjoyed the film. Aiden Gillen is a brilliant bad guy, giving his character a Johnny Rotten swagger. I felt myself enjoying hating the Blitz and couldn't wait to see him get his just deserts but we could have done with getting a little more insight into his behaviour. Statham does a good job showing a little weakness now and then in his usually gruff demeanour. As I have already said Paddy Considine is great but not in it enough for my liking. London looks great and there is an exciting chase through the streets which is one of the high points of the movie.

I enjoyed the movie and would happily watch it again. It's biggest fault was trying to juggle too many story lines at once and unfortunately it dropped a couple of balls.

Competent police thriller, set in London, with some nice cinematography

[PhilidorPriestman · 7/10 · 25 May 2011]

I fancied seeing a film on the way home from work today. When I arrived at the cinema this was the next film on. I went in cold, knowing nothing.

Funky title sequence, OK. Opening scene with Statham asleep on a couch – OK, so its one of those Jason Statham films, fine I can go with that; Hollywood action film with a perfectly watchable lead, nothing too challenging, just what I need to unwind after a hard day at the office.

It was at this point that the old memory cells started working and I remembered that I had read something about the film. Oh no, isn't this a British film, set in London? Yes it is. Oh dear. I don't want gritty, low budget, realism, I don't want east end gangsters, mockney accents and all too earnest attempts to be cool.

I was pleasantly surprised to find my fears unfounded. This is really quite a good film.

Someone is killing London police officers, Statham, a cop who doesn't play by the rules (is their any other kind?) is out to get him.

Statham does his Statham thing, and does it very well. The man is no Brando, but this is a very creditable performance. He is believable as his character, he does quietly menacing, he does humorous, There is also a fair bit of charm in his interactions with his boss. There are a few scenes where he enlists the help of a WPC (very well played small part – sorry can't remember the actor) to check computer records. I thought that the interaction between the two was very good and caused me to wish that we would see Statham in a more relationship based drama, rather than his standard action fare.

Aiden Gillen is very good as the deranged killer. He is obviously "not in his right mind" but Gillen's subtle performance and the breadth of emotions and he hints at keep him well clear of a pantomime "Psycho".

Paddy Considine is fine as Stratam's superior. Interesting to see the inclusion of this homosexual character where his sexuality has nothing in particular to do with the plot; he isn't a victim, there is no mincing, no angst he is just a straight (as it were) gay man. Very, very few incidentally gay people on the big screen.

Zawa Ashton was perfectly OK as a cop who became an addict while under cover for the drug squad. David Morrisey doesn't have much to do as the newspaper reporter whom the killer contacts to publicise his activities.

What surprised me about the film was how good it looked. The cinematography is excellent; nothing flashy, but at times quite beautiful. I have never seen London look so good on film. The fact that we were kept away from the usual tourist spots helped; no establishing shot here, sweeping up the Thames, taking in the London Eye, the Houses of parliament etc. No red London Buses (do they still have them?). Also, there was also no attempt to make the place look like America with aerial shots of skyscrapers etc. At the same time the film makers didn't go to the other extreme and have Albert Square, litter and kebab shops.

The action in the film is pretty low key in terms of spectacle, nothing blows up, nobody takes their shirt off. The violence is real rather than comic book stuff. For me, it comes across as real, rather than affected "gritty reality". (Now there's an oxymoron for you)

Now, I am not saying that this is a great film. It is an entertaining enough thriller, decently acting, with some very nice cinematography. I don't imagine that it will will a lot of awards. But, it does the heart good to see a half decent British film, that isn't trying to be American or (defensively) trying too hard to be British. We could do with a lot more.

Jason Statham hunts a cop-killer in London

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 16 January 2017]

DS Tom Brant is a tough south London cop is a reputation for getting rougher than is strictly necessary; as we are introduced to him he is dealing with a trio of young thugs with a Hurling stick. Soon he, and just about every other police officer. Is looking for a man who shot a police woman in cold blood. It isn't long before a policeman is also killed and it is apparent that somebody is targeting the police. The killer, who refers to himself as 'Blitz' contacts a reporter and makes it apparent that he intends to keep on killing police officers. Acting DI Porter Nash is put in charge of the case and working with Brant they close in on the man Brant is convinced is guilty; unfortunately the evidence required to hold their suspect isn't strong enough. In a secondary plot thread PC Elizabeth Falls, who works under Brant, it trying to help a youth who is in trouble as well as deal with a drug habit she picked up while working undercover.

This is a solid enough police thriller that fans of Jason Statham will probably enjoy; not surprisingly he plays tough cop Brant… anybody who has seen any of his films will know what to expect; he may not have the greatest range but what he does he does well. Paddy Considine does a good job as Nash; a gay cop who avoids any clichés. Aidan Gillen is suitably menacing as the killer but not as impressive as he is in 'Game of Thrones'… although to be fair that would be difficult. Zawe Ashton is good as PC Falls as is David Morrissey as reporter Harold Dunlop. People wanting full on action may be a bit disappointed but there is still some action as well as some fairly brutal violence. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of Jason Statham; it isn't his best film but it is still a decent way to pass an hour and a half.

A good action flick

[nishesquire09 · 7/10 · 7 September 2011]

This movie is an action packed thriller, one that should be enjoyed with a couple of beers in a man cave (with friends, of course). Some scenes are quite violent and gory, including depictions of dismembered body parts and brain splatterings. There are some hilarious moments that are perhaps more funny because the movie is otherwise quite serious. The main actor (Statham) plays his role well and has an edge about him that comes off as real. He had some nice banter with his homosexual boss, but thankfully there wasn't any suggestion of any sexual tension between the two (not because I'm homophobic, but because I think it would distract from the action too much.) The rest of the cast was average. The deranged killer was neither scary nor psychotic and I didn't get the feeling that he was really on a killing spree. I guess the bar of the deranged killer was set by the Joker from Batman. Overall, a good movie to watch once.

Passes The Time

[seany_c · 7/10 · 26 May 2011]

As fans of Jason Statham me and my girl saw this yesterday. I'm usually a fan of his over-the-top action films like 'The Transporter's', 'Crank 1 & 2' and 'The Mechanic'. I was surprised to see that this was something a little different from him. Well, a little different. Jason Statham is basically playing Jason Statham which is always good to watch in my opinion but here the film is played as a more grittier, realistic affair with lashings of violence and the occasional funny moment. Paddy Considine does well as the gay copper who teams up with Statham to try and napture a nutty killer who's targeting cops. Giving the films standout performance, Aidan Gillen plays the killer and is totally convincing in the role. It's not mind-blowing stuff but it's enjoyable and Statham fans will lap it up. ***/*****

" I have a memory of the Past, but it's all black . . . . . . like my future "

[thinker1691 · 11 November 2011]

If you get a chance to read the novel written by Ken Bruen upon which this movie " Blitz " is based on, you will miss quite a lot in the transition. Even though the movie is graphic, the book is more so. In addition, the main character Detective Sergeant Tom Brant (Jason Statham) is definitely more violate and his partner DI Craig Stokes (Luke Evans) is revealed to be more incisive and meticulous. Indeed, the suspect called 'The Blitz' (Aidan Gillen) reads more intelligent, clever and evasive. Having read the book and seen the movie, I will say that both are dark and similar to the point of eeriness and memorable. The movie is a black insightful look into the mind of a serial killer and with Statham chasing him through the streets of London, far more exciting. The story is fraught with loose ends and indeed some are not resolved. Still, it is a good attempt of keeping the audience interested. Since Jason Statham is the leading man the finished product can be said to be dramatic enough to be recommended. ****

Meh

[poc-1 · 6/10 · 27 May 2011]

Some nice camera work, stylish blurring, but pretty clichéd police drama. Jason Statham does what Jason Statham normally does, he's utterly typecast as kind of British Dirty Harry, but it's not new anymore like it was in Snatch/The Transporter.

His sidekick is not nearly as interesting as the little guy in Snatch or the girl in Transporter.

Good work from Aiden Gillen (the guy who played Tommy Carcetti in The Wire) as the bad guy. Zawe Ashton is also interesting as a WPC with a drug problem.

Mainly the plot seemed a bit disjointed and contrived. Overall it felt like a TV police drama. Nothing special.

Darwin In Action

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 22 November 2012]

I almost went to catch BLITZ when it was released at the cinema but was totally snowed under at work . People who had seen it said they weren't keen on it but never seemed able to specify why they didn't like it . By the time I did manage to get time off work it had been and gone from the multiplex in less than the space of two weeks which is never a good sign . Regardless of this I made a point of looking out for it and saw it earlier this evening It gets off to a good start with some tough nut pulling out a hurling stick and giving some knife wielding chavs a violent beating . The problem with this is that they're all actors in a feature film rather than people involved in a fly on the wall documentary . If it had have been a fly on the wall documentary called VIOLENT SCUM GET NUTTED I would have given it 10 out out 10 for the title alone but a drama needs a plot anything involving a plot in BLITZ gets .... well blitzed due to some poor writing .

First of all a gay detective relates a story to his colleague of how despite the greatest effort of his force they couldn't convict a serial paedophile because " we couldn't catch him in the act and the kids were too traumatised to identify them " Hmmmm might it not be a good idea to use forensics for example ? Instead of that the gay detective goes round to the paedos house to give him a good beating to the genitals . Yeah sure you did . Maybe he did and that's why the paedo got off with it - police brutality during an arrest . I guess this scene was included so we'd feel sympathy for the coppers but there's something bizarrely not right with this scene

Next up a policeman gets shot dead by the eponymous Blitz possibly on the grounds that his grammar isn't 100 % Maybe not a good enough reason for killing someone - unless you come on to this site and notice the illiterate scribblings of some people online in which case murder is justified . Interesting that the police are unable to get any leads with this killing . I mean camp bloke wearing yellow sunglasses and a purple jacket shooting a cop in a busy street in broad daylight is rare . So rare you think the police might have asked eye witnesses if they'd seen something ? I mean it's not like Nuremberg where no one heard anything , saw anything or knew what was going on. No the cops confine their identification to looking through CCTV only to conclude " It's like he knows what cameras are working . We can't get an ID on this freak " . Well you could asked the hundred people walking down the street if they'd seen the suspect . They're not even trying . Hardly surprising since at least one of them's a smack-head and the rest have got a drink problem . Hardly surprising that Mr Blitz is the cleverest character in the film . So clever in fact that he knows the address of every police officer in London

It's easy to see why a lot of people were disappointed with BLITZ . Of course if you went in to the cinema wanting to see Stathem blow away villains left right and centre you can understand the disappointment but I doubt if anyone was expecting an action-fest and the top quality cast is what drew me to the film . Considine's gay detective is only gay because the screenplay says he's gay and could be by any slumming journeyman actor rather than Considine . David Morrisey seems cast to make everyone forget he was in BASIC INSTINCT 2 but best performance is by Aidan Gillen which isn't saying much and I do wish he had a bit more screen time , a screen time that is composed of giant plot holes and police procedures so ridiculous you'd think you're watching a film about Darwin in action

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that BLITZ is close to being a very good cop thriller that Britain rarely makes . Director Elliot Lester shows a lot of competence such as the scene where a policewoman lies in a pool of blood and then the rain splatters on the ground and Stathem is amusing as he dishes out one liners with a wry sense of humour but BLITZ should have been better

Ignore the ratings - Read the reviews

[bfrost-8 · 5/10 · 29 May 2011]

Having read the reviews, and agreeing with most of them, I'm a little surprised the film scores so highly. Surely it rates mid-range obscurity at best? The comments about unnecessary/unresolved sub-plots, completely unrealistic event turns, and lack of character depth are all absolutely spot on, as is the 'Ronseal' analogy. But the weak, predictable and incredibly rapid ending left us quite empty. It was more suited to an American TV series where an advert break happens just before 'Columbo gets his man'. There were also some terrible continuity gaffs, especially relating to time of day and weather (look especially before, during and at the end of the hotel to trains chase). Come on British cinema, you can do better than this!

Good time-pass

[saadgkhan · 6/10 · 16 April 2012]

Blitz – CATCH IT (B) I'm not a huge fan of Jason Statham and I found all of his movies kind of same. I bet if I mix and mash scenes of from his different movies no one can ever guess which movie this scene is from. Compare to all of his action movies, blitz is different in regards of story. As it's more of a thriller than an action movie. Blitz is a story of a psycho killer who is killing police officers. Jason Statham, Paddy Considine, Zawe Ashton, Luke Evans and Aiden Gillen are perfect in their roles. Zawe Ashton is hot as drug addict police office. Luke Evens is always refreshing to watch. I had good time watching it. Overall, good time pass thriller.

Statham is a 70's stereotype trapped in a modern environment.

[the_rattlesnake25 · 3/10 · 31 May 2011]

For the second time in eight months, Irish novelist Ken Bruen has seen another one of his hard-boiled crime stories adapted to the big-screen. While 'London Boulevard' contained a down-on-his-luck gangster attempting to go straight, 'Blitz' instead contains a more cinematic anti-hero, as Jason Statham plays a Sergeant who dismisses everyone, plays by nobodies rules and breaks every law under the sun while consuming large quantities of alcohol. It's disjointed, unintentionally hilarious, and more akin to a cinematic parody of the hit television series 'Life on Mars' than a serious British crime-thriller.

Detective Sergeant Tom Brant (Jason Statham) is a police officer with old school procedures and methods; he rules the streets with his fists rather than his head or his badge. But once a serial cop-killer (Aiden Gillen) calling himself the 'Blitz' starts roaming the streets of London, he must partner with acting Detective Inspector Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) to try and apprehend the culprit before the deranged psychopath seriously injures or even kills any more members of the London Police force. Alongside the main narrative stream, there is also a sub-plot involving a young WPC (Zawe Ashton) who must constantly battle her own personal demons.

The combination of a stale, almost laughable script and the rough, one-dimensional lead actor in Jason Statham instantly renders 'Blitz' as a sub-par crime-thriller. Brant is portrayed as a sexist, prehistoric homophobe who prefers to take witness statements in the Pub as he drinks a pint of beer while dismissing any concerns the witness has about his or her statements. Statham adds absolutely nothing to the character except the fact that he is willing to seriously injure or kill any possible (innocent) suspects without a second thought. His lack of emotion, constant drinking and persistent expression of repressed rage become incredibly old after ten minutes. However, if taken accidentally as a comedy, his hilarious one-liners do provide endless (and unintentional) comedic relief. When asked by a witness he is interviewing if he is taking down his statement, Brant casually removes his pint of beer from his lips before articulating the phrase, "does it look like I carry a pencil?" in a condescending manner. Police work at its finest, indeed.

Paddy Considine and Aiden Gillen do attempt to work beyond their restrictive character profiles, but within the confines of the film and its script, their characters aren't given enough creative freedom to truly provide any emotive acting. Gillen's motive behind his rampage of violence is never fully explored, nor is the initial homosexuality of Considine's character. While it is somewhat refreshing to see a homosexual character on-screen in a position of power where he is still seen as overcoming the prejudice exerted by his peers, he starts by flaunting mannerisms that many would find both stereotypical and offensive to many homosexual males. But once this is eventually toned down, his character, his sexuality, and his motives are allowed to be somewhat expressed and he becomes the one solid character in a sea of stereotypes.

Aside from the lack of depth in character, script or main plot, where the film also fails on an incredibly basic level is in the form of a sub-plot which simply provides no conclusion or relief alongside the presiding storyline. The audience is introduced to a young, up-and-coming female Police Officer called Elizabeth Falls who is shown to have had problems with drugs in the past, but the sub-plot simply ends there. During the final act the spectators are waiting for closure offers no explanation or conclusion to a character, yet the film expects the audience to form an emotional bond with the character and her plight.

If you replaced Jason Statham and his poorly crafted one-liners (including one in which he responds to a female police officer's quip in jest that she is surprised he can even navigate his microwave due to his technophobia with "women are there to use the microwave, and do the typing too") and removed the open-ended sub-plot then 'Blitz' would work perfectly as a made for television hour-long crime-drama. However as a theatrical release, this film is nothing more than a Jason Statham action-vehicle which masquerades as an inferior police thriller.

I Loved This Movie!!

[go_titans · 9/10 · 29 November 2011]

Blitz is not getting much respect from reviewers on IMDb, and I'm very surprised by this. I loved it from the first minute to the last and ordered the Blu-Ray on line before the credits had even finished.

Statham plays an aggressive cop with an attitude, and if he's got a weapon in his hands (like a hockey stick) he'll wield it like a pro.

Paddy Considine plays a gay cop who's capable of taking the law into his own hands, and this allows him to work with Statham just beautifully.

Aidan Gillen plays a fabulous psycho with a thing for killing cops, and he's been one of my favourite British actors for the past 10 years anyway, so it would have been hard for him to screw this one up.

The action from the opening scene is great, Statham's lines are terrific stuff and had me laughing hard more than once, the odd-team Statham and Considine create is brilliant, the story doesn't get bogged down in personal problems, there are no annoying girlfriends, wives or kids to pull the actors and audience sideways away from the story (some directors seem to love putting that type of stuff in), the continuity issues others have mentioned are so minor they don't matter, the soundtrack was perfect, and the ending was everything I hoped it would be.

This film is never going to make the 'Greatest Films Ever Made' list, but its sure as hell fun to watch as far as I'm concerned. It doesn't beat around the bush getting started, doesn't waste time during the film, keeps up the fun, and what more do you want from Statham and an action film? To the film's detractors I say 'lighten up'! It's obvious from the first 10 minutes the film's creators weren't chasing Academy Awards, so why knock it so hard? It's meant to entertain for 90 minutes, and it does just that.

Above average for a Statham movie, but maybe trying to fire above it's station a bit

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 7 December 2011]

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Detective Tom Brant (Jason Statham) is your typical loose cannon, unorthodox cop who doesn't play by the rules, who's been pushed to the sidelines a bit after a recent bit of bad press due to his strong arm method of tackling law breakers. But he finds himself plunged into a hell for leather new game of cat and mouse when a mysterious and brutal new serial killer called The Blitz emerges, slaying police officers in open air executions. As he draws nearer to his prey, the game becomes increasingly personal and the stakes are raised to biblical stakes.

The serial killer plot line is a curious device to employ in an action film, a naturally bleak and dark theme that has the potential to drown out any of the quick witted humour and thrills that the genre is known for. But even with this hanging over it, Blitz soon reveals itself to just be another high energy, fast paced Jason Statham action film, not making any effort to deviate away from the formula that's worked for the cockney hard man for ages, even throwing away all the suspense by revealing the killer's identity, Columbo style, pretty much at the start of the film.

With this in mind, it still admirably manages to come off as an above average one, consistently entertaining enough till the end, even as it just goes through the motions to the inevitable outcome, Statham in the lead doing his usual grumbling, hard bitten tough guy act and even a surprisingly lively supporting cast, including Aidan Gillen, Paddy Considine and David Morrisey not really raising the performance bar in any great way.

One notable fault that does niggle enough to be a criticism is the messy, slapdash manner in which various sub plots are thrown in, jumbling up what should be a quite simple, A to B story and throwing the dynamic off course a bit. Still, it generates a style, atmosphere and entertainment value that is enough to make it a worthy recommendation. ***

Same Same...

[lavoie7 · 3/10 · 31 July 2011]

Can this guy act (Jason Statham)? He is always exactly the same. When you know he is in a movie, you know exactly what to expect. It is like watching the same movie over and over again. He is nothing else than a Steven Seagal or Jean Claude Van Damme. If you recall, their first movie is always pretty good but you get tired of the same scenario which only provides excuses for (I have to admit) pretty good but similar fighting scenes, and very little more.

What I dislike the most from these "actors"(?) is that they refuse to get in their role in order to maintain their pathetic personality. On this particular movie, Statham goes to a policemen's funeral dress in his street clothes. Who does that? At a police funeral, everyone wear their uniform, period. But that was probably too much asking to Mr Statham. Also, have a look at his unshaven face and how many movies have you seen it like this before? This reminds me of Seagal who was wearing his pony tale with a military uniform in one of his previous film; "hey I will make you the honour of being the star of that movie but don't expect me to change my appearance"! On this particular movie, I thought it was pretty predictable. No surprise here. Who needs a scenario when you have this great fighter? Isn't that enough? Moreover, this stupid heavy metal they add on the action scenes. Annoying, loud as h..., and has really nothing to do with the scene except to make you lose your concentration and lower the volume (where you can...).

I was expecting (hoping?) for much more. This is the last movie I watch with this guy in, unless he is a real low secondary actor in it (which he should always be). This guy belongs in a ring, not in a movie.

Now, pls don't give Jason my address. One thing he could do is kick my a... I can run, but if he can run like he did in that movie without even breathing hard, I am done!

This movie is gritty, fun, exciting, suspenseful, and rewarding.

[0U · 23 February 2020]

I had not heard anything about this movie before I watched it. Overall this film is a pleasant surprise. Jason Statham is good playing a similar type of role he has played before. The script is unique and is interesting the entire way. I would recommend this film.

Nail-biting and violent thriller set in London, being well starred by the tough Jason Statham

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 16 January 2021]

A two-fisted cop sergeant : Jason Statham is assigned by his new chief : Paddy Considine to carry out a dangerous mission : to track down a serial killer who has been targeting police officers in London by murdering them in cold blood. The murderer is nicknamed The Blitz and he arranges to slip throughout the grasp of sergeant every time and while the valuable lives of his partners are diminishing step by step . It's a deadly and lethal confrontation , a cop-killer versus killer-cop.

Intriguing and decent thriller movie with noisy action, grisly killings , suspense , chills , pursuits , and lots of violence. Jason Statham is nice in his usual style as the cop who is dispatched to take down a series murderer. Here Statham is top-notch as detective sergeant Tom Brandt , he plays following his ordinary manners as a tough and two-fisted guy , interpretations that have given him a considerable success, thanks to films as " Revolver" , "Crank" I and its sequel, "Transporter" saga, "The Expendables", "Killer Elite", "Safe" , "Homefront", "Wild Card", "The Mechanic" I and II, "Fast and Furious" 7 and 8, "Megalodon", among others . Big Star Jason Statham is well accompanied by a good support cast, such as : Paddy Considine as his chief and allied, David Morrissey as a sneeker journalist, Aiden Gillen as the really nasty series killer who steals the show, Zawe Ashton as a friend cop with dark addiction , Luke Evans as another fine police, the veteran Mark Rylance as an unfortunate police chief, Ned Dennehy, among others.

It contains an atmospheric and colorful cinematography , completely shot in London , as well as thrilling musical score . The motion picture was competent and professionally directed by Elliot Lester, delivering action and tension enough . This filmmaker is a fine craftsman who has directed some acceptable movies, such as : "Aftermath" , "Nightingale" , "Sleepwalker", "Love is the drug" , among others. Rating : 6.5/10. The picture will appeal to Jason Statham fans . Essential and fundamental seeing for thriller enthusiasts .

Not a bomb

[TomMix86 · 7/10 · 3 March 2013]

The trailers for BLITZ caught my interest, seeming to promise a contemporary, British take on the first DIRTY HARRY movie; a cop thriller with a morally ambiguous anti-hero facing a grandiose, psychopathic villain. And that's more or less what you get, although it's also something an ensemble piece with much of the screen time taken up by a number of sub-plots, somewhat like BROOKLYN'S FINEST.

The early scenes of the film are a little too frantic, and seem to be put together without too much care initially making the film a little unwelcoming; at first seeming uncomfortably redolent of the lower end of of Danny Dyer's filmography. Once things settle down however, it's a fairly predictable but entertaining film with good performances, solid action and rather more interesting characters than you'd expect. I haven't read the source material (a novel of the same name by Ken Bruen), but I suspect it's at least partly responsible for giving the film a grittier, pulpier feel than you'd associate with Statham. The Dubstep soundtrack helps give the film a contemporary vibe appropriate to its South London setting.

It certainly wont be as well remembered as DIRTY HARRY, but BLITZ is one of Statham's strongest vehicles to date.

Quite a thrill-ride...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 24 August 2011]

"Blitz" is actually one of the more interesting movies that Jason Statham has been in. Why? Well, for starters, this movie is not all about glorified violence with lots of cool camera angles, effects and the work. No, it is simply about the story and the characters in it.

The story in "Blitz" is quite compelling. A guy is killing police officers and there seem to be some systematic approach to his work. And caught in the action is Tom Brant (played by Jason Statham) and Porter Nash (played by Paddy Considine). And it is about their work trying to solve the case and getting to the bottom of matters. But "Blitz" is more than just your average detective movie, it also deals with the personal demons that seem to torment many of the police officers that work in that particular precinct. There is the matter of alcohol and substance abuse, the loss of someone close to you, and reaching out for help when most needed. It all just comes together for a greater end result, and it really lifted up the movie tremendously.

Jason Statham really carried this movie, and he did so quite well. He was more down to earth and more believable in this role, compared to some of the "super" guys he has played in other movies (not saying that his previous work is not good, because I am a big fan). But there is just something about this character that you can relate to. And opposite Statham was Barry Weiss/Blitz (played by Aiden Gillen) who also put on quite a performance.

"Blitz" has the right amount of action, drama and suspense that you could wish for, and it had me nailed to the chair from the very beginning and right up to the end. You get swept away and dragged into the story, and it is great!

"Blitz" is, of course, a MUST if you are a fan of Jason Statham. But it is also quite noteworthy for fans of thrillers and detective movies.

Violence in the precinct

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 26 July 2012]

A London police precinct is at the center of this story. It has been in the tabloids because the aggressive nature of some of the men assigned to protect the public. No officer shows more of this trait than Brant, a man with a low toleration for criminals. Being in the news, a new man, Nash, is sent to be the head of the station. Nash is gay, not hiding from the fact. A criminal has been busy killing cops from the precinct, so Brant decides to seek the man by whatever means. He discovers the motive the assassin is using to eliminate the cops, so he teams with Nash to get the scum bag.

"Blitz" directed by Elliott Lester is based on a novel by Ken Bruen. Nathan Parker wrote the adaptation. There is a lot of action in the film of the violent kind. The hero of the film is a composite of the same type of cops we have seen before played by Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, and Bruce Willis. This time Brant, the no-nonsense cop is played by Jason Statham, who like his predecessors in the genre, is a man of few words and a daredevil who will stop at nothing to get his point across, no matter what his superiors think of the methods he employs to get to the criminals.

Mr. Lester keeps the action flowing with surprising ease. Paddy Considine appears as Nash, the gay man, now sent to supervise the shenanigans of the officers in the area where violent crime is rampant. Aidan Gillen, who has worked extensively on television, is Weiss, the slimy criminal who will stop at nothing in his quest to eliminate the men in uniform seen as the enemy. Zawe Ashton, who portrays officer Falls, does a credible job as the officer recuperating from an addiction.

Rob Hardy, the cinematographer, keeps things moving at an incredible speed catching the nuances of the area where the action is supposed to take place. The incidental music score was composed by Ilan Ishkery, a man with a talent to add ambiance to the films where he is asked to collaborate. This is Elliott Lester's second full length feature. One could only hope he keeps his good work in films.

Gleefully amoral violence

[krachtm · 5/10 · 30 November 2012]

Jason Statham movies are like AC/DC albums. They may all be the same, but that's most of the draw for fans. Thus, complaining that this Jason Statham movie is just like all the others seems like a pointless criticism to me.

Now that we've got that out of the way, I'd like to comment on this movie. It's a Dirty Harry ripoff. Yes, that basically sums up the entirety of the movie, though, if you liked Dirty Harry, you'll probably like this, as well. There are certainly problems, but if you're the type of person who watches Jason Statham movies, you're not terribly likely to care much about plot holes, unrealistic plot devices, or other highbrow film theory.

Much like Dirty Harry, the protagonist is little more than a violent thug with a badge, tempered somewhat by a more sensitive, by-the-book partner. Put into a more realistic setting, instead of the stylized comic book worlds that he usually inhabits, Jason Statham's characteristic violence was highly disturbing and bordered on outright fascism. If this bothers you, I'd recommend you avoid this movie. The gleefully amoral tone of the violence made this movie difficult to watch at times.

If all you want is a violent action movie, this will fit the bill, though.

A Jason Statham realistic movie, for once

[siderite · 7/10 · 17 August 2011]

I have mixed feelings about this movie.

First of all, the story is totally believable, with the brutish British policemen trying to survive in a legal and mediatic world, the stupid small minded crooks that survive just fine because they don't have to follow rules and the whole non-sense of this situation. I liked that.

The main character, though, was really hard to like. His methods are brutal and seem effective at first, until, through his pushing people to the edge, Statham's character all but causes the loss of life of some of his colleagues. He is completely unapologetic afterwards, which really annoyed me.

The homosexual sidekick seemed to exist for the sole purpose of giving some legitimacy to the bully cop, although he did provide some insight in the world the movie describes and the internal motivation of cops.

Aidan Gillen is his extroverted, brilliant self and I am starting to enjoy every movie he plays in, even if in this film he is a psychopathic cop killer with no real plan than a pointless revenge against people who arrested him in the past.

Bottom line: The ending is ironic, but I saw it coming a mile away. The film is not the usual Statham action film, instead it is a rather subtle critique on the British law enforcement environment. It has its ups and downs and, if you don't care about the underlying moral of the story, the film might seem a boring TV cop movie.

Not what I expected

[stly999 · 5/10 · 25 May 2011]

I see films by first checking IMDb and avoid those much below 7.0. This usually works well and mostly I am not disappointed. This film scored 7.9 so I felt very confident about it. BUT, when it started I thought I was watching an amateurish TV programme. I disagree with one reviewer; I do think the reason for the serial killings is valid (i.e. these cops had arrested this extremely deranged killer in the past and he wanted revenge). However, I cannot believe that he left no DNA evidence at any crime scene as he wore his normal clothes! It only takes a few fibres, footprints. etc. to gain some DNA. And having identified the possible killer very early on, it seems the cops then did little more until another killing took place. I would have thought that they would have watched a serial cop-killer's every move. And the dope-head PC was a joke .... totally pointless character. Also, surely the newspaper would have noted the serial numbers of the 50K, so the money in the killer's possession (which the cops returned to him without even finding out where he got it from .... have they not heard of the Inland Revenue and how they tear your house apart if you have cash you cannot account for!) would have been traced to the man he killed in the loo (another rather unbelievable character). The only good bit was the ending (for people like me who like to see evil people get their ass kicked and liquidated) .... bit like The Departed (now, that is a GOOD film).

Immoral, gritty, strangely compelling

[acutler · 8/10 · 31 May 2011]

One of Statham's best. Jason, as usual, plays himself, although this time in perhaps his most realistic settings. No wires, no kung-fu, no sixth sense. Just an unhealthy, alcoholic, total b**stard of a cop.

This film starts out at best amoral, and I can only conclude by the end that it is positively immoral, with many things that are very objectionable. The few characters with hope or any redeeming qualities all get dragged down into the mire, and London has rarely looked so frightening and depressing and worryingly real.

And yet the film is compelling viewing. It won't do well because the action is not the point, and what action there is (and there is plenty) all has a bitter taste rather than the usual cathartic "it's an action flick" joy. Equally, because it is Statham, and the action is so prevalent, it will probably be critically lambasted. But it is really quite a thoughtful film.

Great Police Story

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 7 January 2012]

In London, the violent Detective Sergeant Tom Brant (Jason Statham) is in trouble with the press and his superiors request low profile attitude to him. When a cop killer called Blitz (Aidan Gillen) attacks police officers in London, Brant is assigned to the manhunt with his chief, the gay cop Porter Nash (Paddy Considine). His investigation shows that the criminal is the hoodlum Barry Weiss, but the police can not find any evidence against Barry. When he is released from jail by his lawyer, Brant and Nash put Barry under surveillance expecting a new attack of the Blitz.

"Blitz" is a great police story for fans like me of Dirty Harry or Paul Kersey, from "Death Wish", and Jason Statham. The story has clichés, the conclusion is very similar to "10 to Midnight", but the plot is engaging and full of action. Aidan Gillen performs one of the nastiest villains I have recently seen with his cynical smile and this actor has a great resemblance with Gary Oldman. The idea of a gay police inspector is original in times of politically correct. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Blitz"

It did not make my day

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 30 September 2018]

Blitz is a prime example of showing you how to waste an exemplary guest star. If you convince Mark Rylance (who does not make many movies) to appear in your film, then make the best use out of him.

It is another question as to how Rylance was coaxed to appear in this third rate Dirty Harry set in London rip off. I reckon it was a higher than expected tax demand!

Jason Statham plays tough cop Brant who beats up cartoon street thugs as he is in the verge of burnout. He teams up with Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) a gay cop tasked to find a serial killer hell bent on killing cops and boasting about it to a journalist (David Morrissey.)

The killer flamboyantly played by Aiden Gillen is not even kept a secret to the viewer or to Brant who encounter him early on in the film.

As a crime procedural it really fails as the police seem to do nothing to get evidence of any kind to build a case against the main suspect. This is London we are talking about which has more CCTV cameras than anywhere else on the planet.

The film has several subplots that really go nowhere such as a drug addicted policewoman, the grieving cop who lost his wife and the journalist who views the serial killer story as his big break. It really is filler to pad out the main plot.

Statham is onenote as the gruff Brant pretending to be Clint Eastwood.