There is no mistaking the fact that "Mean Machine" comes from the same production company behind the hit British crime films "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch". Not only do the casts and dialogue feel very familiar, but all these films are very much for British lads. The simple, often quite brutal entertainment of "Mean Machine" will probably find a strong theatrical life in the United Kingdom and could be an appealing video release in other territories.
Soccer player-turned-actor Vinnie Jones is almost an iconic figure in the United Kingdom, with a reputation for toughness that has transferred to his film roles. He made his debut with "Lock, Stock" as a tough enforcer, developed his skills (as a tough enforcer) in "Snatch", then played tough enforcers in "Swordfish" and "Gone in 60 Seconds". In "Mean Machine", he finally gets to tackle more than a few lines of dialogue.
He is stepping into the boots of Burt Reynolds, however. "Mean Machine" is adapted from the 1974 film "The Longest Yard", in which Reynolds played a footballer (of the NFL variety, however), sent to jail, who trains the prison team to take on the guards. Jones does not have the natural comedy skills of Reynolds nor the star quality, but he does offer a brutal form of charisma.
In "Mean Machine", Jones plays Danny Meehan, a former captain of the England team (though in real life Jones played for the Welsh national team), a man who had it all until he was banned following accusations of fixing an England vs. Germany match. Following a drunken assault on two policemen, he is jailed for three years at the tough HM Longmarsh Prison.
Here he finds that celebrity gets you nowhere, especially since he is regarded as a traitor for fixing a match against Germany, the old footballing enemy. The Governor (David Hemmings), though, has other plans. He wants Danny to train his prison guards soccer team. Siding with the Governor would be a big mistake, so Danny offers to train a team of cons to play against the guards as a preseason warm-up.
Danny finally wins over the tough inmates, especially when he saves a small con nicknamed Massive (Vas Blackwood) from a beating by the guards. Gradually, he puts a team together. Cue a series of amusing scenes of the inmates going through training sessions, consisting mainly of them missing the ball. With the help of the infamous Broadhurst Monk (Jason Statham), a psychotic inmate who is recruited as goalkeeper, the team is lectured in the dirtiest tactics known to soccer.
The big match offers plenty of drama. Danny is told by the Governor that unless he throws the match and allows the prison guards to win, he will be framed for another offense and locked up for even more years.
Excellent performances by veteran actor David Kelly ("Waking Ned Devine"), Danny Dyer, Blackwood and Robbie Gee as fellow prisoners give the film the appropriate atmosphere. Hemmings has fun as the Governor, though as with "Gladiator", his performance tends to be dominated by his bushy eyebrows. Sally Phillips ("Bridget Jones's Diary") has the unfortunate job of being the sole woman in the film, with the seduction of Jones her only job.
Soccer has never really made it on the big screen as it doesn't really lend itself cinematically. Debuting director Barry Skolnick does make a fine attempt at giving the match suitable energy, and Jones at least does know how to look like a soccer player. "Mean Machine" offers no real surprises, and probably should have upped the comedy level.
MEAN MACHINE
United International Pictures (U.K.)
and Paramount Pictures
in association with Ska Films
Producer: Matthew Vaughn
Director: Barry Skolnick
Executive producers: Guy Ritchie, Al Ruddy, Cynthia Pett-Dante
Screenwriters: Charlie Fletcher, Chris Baker, Andy Day
Based on the film: "The Longest Yard"
Director of photography: Alex Barber
Production designer: Russell de Rozario
Music: John Murphy
Costume designer: Stephanie Collie
Editor: Dayn Williams, Eddie Hamilton
Color/stereo
Cast:
Danny Meehan: Vinnie Jones
Monk: Jason Statham
Billy the Limpet: Danny Dyer
Doc: David Kelly
The Governor: David Hemmings
Massive: Vas Blackwood
Trojan: Robbie Gee
Sykes: John Forgeham
Running time -- 92 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Soccer player-turned-actor Vinnie Jones is almost an iconic figure in the United Kingdom, with a reputation for toughness that has transferred to his film roles. He made his debut with "Lock, Stock" as a tough enforcer, developed his skills (as a tough enforcer) in "Snatch", then played tough enforcers in "Swordfish" and "Gone in 60 Seconds". In "Mean Machine", he finally gets to tackle more than a few lines of dialogue.
He is stepping into the boots of Burt Reynolds, however. "Mean Machine" is adapted from the 1974 film "The Longest Yard", in which Reynolds played a footballer (of the NFL variety, however), sent to jail, who trains the prison team to take on the guards. Jones does not have the natural comedy skills of Reynolds nor the star quality, but he does offer a brutal form of charisma.
In "Mean Machine", Jones plays Danny Meehan, a former captain of the England team (though in real life Jones played for the Welsh national team), a man who had it all until he was banned following accusations of fixing an England vs. Germany match. Following a drunken assault on two policemen, he is jailed for three years at the tough HM Longmarsh Prison.
Here he finds that celebrity gets you nowhere, especially since he is regarded as a traitor for fixing a match against Germany, the old footballing enemy. The Governor (David Hemmings), though, has other plans. He wants Danny to train his prison guards soccer team. Siding with the Governor would be a big mistake, so Danny offers to train a team of cons to play against the guards as a preseason warm-up.
Danny finally wins over the tough inmates, especially when he saves a small con nicknamed Massive (Vas Blackwood) from a beating by the guards. Gradually, he puts a team together. Cue a series of amusing scenes of the inmates going through training sessions, consisting mainly of them missing the ball. With the help of the infamous Broadhurst Monk (Jason Statham), a psychotic inmate who is recruited as goalkeeper, the team is lectured in the dirtiest tactics known to soccer.
The big match offers plenty of drama. Danny is told by the Governor that unless he throws the match and allows the prison guards to win, he will be framed for another offense and locked up for even more years.
Excellent performances by veteran actor David Kelly ("Waking Ned Devine"), Danny Dyer, Blackwood and Robbie Gee as fellow prisoners give the film the appropriate atmosphere. Hemmings has fun as the Governor, though as with "Gladiator", his performance tends to be dominated by his bushy eyebrows. Sally Phillips ("Bridget Jones's Diary") has the unfortunate job of being the sole woman in the film, with the seduction of Jones her only job.
Soccer has never really made it on the big screen as it doesn't really lend itself cinematically. Debuting director Barry Skolnick does make a fine attempt at giving the match suitable energy, and Jones at least does know how to look like a soccer player. "Mean Machine" offers no real surprises, and probably should have upped the comedy level.
MEAN MACHINE
United International Pictures (U.K.)
and Paramount Pictures
in association with Ska Films
Producer: Matthew Vaughn
Director: Barry Skolnick
Executive producers: Guy Ritchie, Al Ruddy, Cynthia Pett-Dante
Screenwriters: Charlie Fletcher, Chris Baker, Andy Day
Based on the film: "The Longest Yard"
Director of photography: Alex Barber
Production designer: Russell de Rozario
Music: John Murphy
Costume designer: Stephanie Collie
Editor: Dayn Williams, Eddie Hamilton
Color/stereo
Cast:
Danny Meehan: Vinnie Jones
Monk: Jason Statham
Billy the Limpet: Danny Dyer
Doc: David Kelly
The Governor: David Hemmings
Massive: Vas Blackwood
Trojan: Robbie Gee
Sykes: John Forgeham
Running time -- 92 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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