Snatch : Movie Review


If you were a fan of 'Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', you can't help but compare it to Ritchie's second big budget film, 'Snatch'. Not only will you recognise a few faces from the original cast, but if you watched the 'Lock Stock' series on British television, you will also see a few of the actors from that too.

The style of direction is also reminiscent of the first film. Super slow motion footage, mega high speed delivery of images, and the retro mood created by clever camera work, all add to the feeling of a kitsch 1970's action movie, and sum up the way in which Ritchie had defined his unusual, yet trademark style.

Unlike 'Lock Stock', 'Snatch' ventures out of the dodgy dealings of London, to draw in criminal characters from New York and Russia, and in particular, the Jewish, community of diamond dealers.

In the same ruse as the previous film, nearly all the characters have their quirky idiosyncrasies that you can't help but like - everyone will have their favourite, but my personal one has to be 'Brick Top', the equivalent to 'Hatchet Harry' from 'Lock Stock'. Ritchie's brilliant portrayal of this hard man had its usual twist. This callous man, who is feared by the gangster community and feeds his victims to his pigs, wears inch thick glasses and has a severe squint! This is just one of the imaginative ways in which the cold-hearted criminals in the film are humanised. I don't want to mention every character, but I will say this about the casting. It was very cleverly done, and the decision to use a big name actor such as Brad Pitt, was a sound one, as the rest of the cast created such a great appeal that he just blended into the story line.

To sum up, if you enjoyed 'Lock Stock', as I did, you will also love 'Snatch'. If you watch the film and believe it is not as good as the first, you could contemplate this reason... The Ritchie style of direction is no longer new to us. 'Lock Stock' had originality all of its own and 'Snatch' has only played on this directorial styling and moved it forward still. If you are hoping it will be a totally new approach, you will be disappointed, but if you love the way films are put together, i.e. with clever creativity, you will not be disappointed.

It will definitely make you laugh and will entertain beyond the cinema as 'Lock Stock' did, and no doubt, it will be quoted for a while to come.

Author : Claire Sharp of Cinema.com