Criminal DVD: Review By kerouac1

The Criminal is yet another of the recent batch of British crime thrillers, plunging the audience headfirst into a seedy criminal underworld. Not quite as stylized as a Guy Ritchie film (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch), but it does have its merrits.

Director Julian Simpson has a definitive style, and his tyle hold true throughout the film. Steven Mackintosh plays Jasper Rawlins, a musician who's one-night stand ends up getting him caught within a tangled murder mystery. The film, as most British thrillers, take a cynical view of its characters and the world they inhabit, but it works fairly well. Adding to Mackintosh's performance are solid turns by Eddie Izzard (Velvet Goldmine) and Bernard Hill (Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers).

There's nothing special about the features on this sparce disc. There's a Director's Commentary with Julian Simpson and Cast & Crew Interviews. That's it. Granted, this wasn't the biggest production, but sometimes the small productions warrant the most interesting features. For DVD-philes, the lack of features won't warrant adding this one to your collection.

The film is present in the usual Widescreen format, and the picture looks good. There's nothing to write home about with the visuals, but Director Julian Simpson's style is presented well.

Two audio tracks are available on the disc: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)and English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo). As always, the Dolby Digital 5.1 sounds great, and that's all the film needs. The sound is nohing so special that it even needs a DTS 6.1 track.

If you're a fan of the paranoid, tight British crime thriller, you'll enjoy The Criminal. The performances are good and the story is decent. Again, it's not quite as stylish as some recent British thrillers, but the film also doesn't fail to entertain. It's worth a rental, but if you want to spend the money to buy a great crime thriller, get The Limey.