Blitz

Ken Bruen is Ireland's answer to James Patterson with his crime novels following the exploits of the same character through multiple novels and the outlandish exploits that they experience, Blitz being the film adaptation of the 4th novel dealing with London's Detective Sergeant Brandt. That may be why the character, played by Statham, feels like we should already be familiar with him and doesn't really develop him for the viewer as much as I would like. But let's hold the criticism for just a bit, shall we?

Blitz is the story of a serial killer targeting police officers in London's South East district and Detective Sergeant Brandt's attempts to stop the killer. It starts off a little choppily dealing with Brandt's cop-on-the-edge antics which lead him into hot water before we even get the first murder and starts throwing things at you without really giving you any context for why they are happening or what their significance is. Brandt's feelings of burn out, a colleague dealing with the loss of his wife (with no explanation who the colleague is to Brandt), and yet another colleague who is trying to get back into the swing of police work after going through rehab. There is no context for any of these things and it starts to get tiresome but then a police woman is shot dead and things do start to pick up. The second act of this story is actually compelling as the killer, calling himself 'The Blitz', is one step ahead of everyone from the police all the way to the snitch who is selling his identity to the tabloid press. And then 'The Blitz' is arrested, but because he's been so clever and because the police have been pretty crap at their job, he walks free. That's where the story sort of falls apart relying on clichéd one liners and our supposed protagonist doing something completely illegal and getting away with murder. Literal, shot in the face, murder.

Whoever decided that you should not
take off your shirt should be beaten.

Most of the problem with this movie is the script. It relies too much on the assumption that we have read the three previous novels and already knows and loves the irascible DS Brandt, but I wasn't. A careful screenwriter could have crafted a standalone story from the material at hand, but it feels like someone tried to translate the book directly into the film. But there is one other problem with this movie and that is Jason Statham. Jason, don't you know by now that what people want to see is you running around shirtless beating people up? It worked so well in The Transporter. And Transporter 2. And of course Transporter 3: Transportier. It's sort of what we all expect from you, so it's a little disappointing when you don't deliver.

Rating: C-