Rise of the Footsoldier Part II

Here’s a blatant cash-in sequel to ‘Rise of the Footsoldier’, the ropey 2007 drama about the real-life ‘Range Rover’ murders of three drug dealers in a quiet Essex lane in 1995. The new film moves beyond the slayings from the perspective of weaselly Carlton Leach (Ricci Harnett), an associate of the three victims. He was centre stage in the original ‘Rise of the Footsoldier’.

But while his connection with the notorious killings made him (just about) story-worthy-by-association then, this follow-up focusing on his solo misadventures flounders. Lead actor Harnett also writes and directs this time around. Unwisely, he over-compensates for a thin story with sweary geezer mayhem, gentlemen’s clubs and white powder consumption. He makes a scrappy job of the exploitation highlights, while lacking the craft or insight to do much with the domestic scenes either. Very poor indeed.