The original 70’s British TV show about a bunch of thuggish police officers revolutionised the genre, with its gritty violence, womanising and introduction of the idea that the good guy, isn’t always that good. But it’s more about RE-invention in Nick Love’s 2012 interpretation rather than invention itself.
There is a sense throughout the movie that it is trying to ooze a slicker style than is actually possible, and if it had gone with the natural cheese of the script and the humour of the characters, potentially it could have been a slightly better movie. The over-dramatic score at times, comes across as if you’re watching Inception instead and Also, occasionally things come across far-fetched, with Regan ordering his men from a Mac-filled office in what appears to be in a penthouse leering over London, and the entire team boasting show-off gadgets that look like machines that have stumbled out of The Matrix.
The Sweeney stars Ray Winstone (The Departed) as bad cop, bad cop Jack Regan whose top dog at privately organised London Flying Squad (AKA “Sweeney) specialising in fighting crime on the streets the old-fashioned way, rather than sitting behind a desk. Just underneath Regan is sidekick George Carter, played by Ben Drew, better known as the singer Plan B. Also part of the team is Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger) and recently Emmy-award winning Damian Lewis.
The casting for Regan is spot-on, even though his character seems substantially different to his 1970 part. Winstone's Regan fits more into today's society, with his leather jacket, Ray Ban's and the over-pronounced swagger in his walk. Whilst it's safe to say he overuses the words 'schlaaag' and 'bird', Love certainly picked the right actor to breathe new life into the fictional Detective. However, despite Harry Brown exercising Plan B's acting talents, The Sweeney doesn't really seem him fit the role, as he often comes off a right chav, rather than just a rough 'n' ready copper.
There’s something about the ensemble that makes it seem reminiscent of Ashes To Ashes. The arrogant, mocking leader, the attractive girl they all have a crush on and the sneaky smartly dressed guy who is just waiting for the squad to put a foot wrong before he can take them down. Perhaps the director took reference from the BBC TV show as it was set at the time when The Sweeney first aired on ITV.
Don't get it wrong though, despite the minor errors, The Sweeney is an entertaining film, which displays a realism not many action films possess nowadays. Yes, every so often the good guys DO get shot, and sometimes they miss their aim. It's not all Vin Diesel "invincible" hype. It really does come across as true life, and that, is certainly the movie's biggest selling point.
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