Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance
SIGNATUREThere are two things that are not only hard to believe but genuinely shocking with the latest Rise of the Footsoldier entry Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance. The first is that this is a franchise that has absolutely no right for longevity and to still be made today, never mind on the sixth episode into this world about three Essex Boys who were killed six films ago, yet remains fun and entertaining. The second is that within this macho world about masculinity and toxicity, Vengeance embraces – surprisingly – the LGBTQ+ crowd in what isn’t placed for laughs but poignancy in an effective manner.
To begin with the former, it is still shocking this franchise is on the sixth entry on characters who perished two decades ago and is still embracing character development in prequel after prequel. When and what year does this take place – maybe the early 90s, but who really knows? – the film never explicitly states, it firmly just wants to touch base and get out. More credit to it, it hasn’t got anything other than the central characters and everything else is meaningless support for murder, but if that’s what works embrace it. Does this entry need to exist? No. Yet time after time in these reviews, the remark is made and yet seemingly these features just about make a dent of entertainment and immersion that makes it hard to resist not wanting more.
So what makes this entry feel fresh and interesting six films down the line? The first thing is that this is a Pat Tate story through and through. Aside from two visual silent cameos this resides in the world of Tate and his personal escapades. Granted, having seen other films within this franchise, a few people pop up here and there but work in the context of the story and aren’t forced. The other element is that it doesn’t force other characters as seen in both the latest entries like Marbella and Origins in order to pucker up franchise sweethearts and box office revenue. Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe’s arcs felt fulfilled in Origins as a their own centre piece. The same can be said here for Tate with a devilish cliffhanger of sorts to resume one more film to come full circle. Will that happen? No chance. The film will come but they won’t stop, and more power to these people who have corned a marker.
So what more does Vengeance have up its sleeve? Well, it’s more of the same in terms of the last two ventures within this world. Drugs, scantily clad women, revenge and murder. For return fans, it has everything seen before but surprisingly Vengeance – out of nowhere – touches upon involving the LGBTQ+ community. While not to stereotype, it is not out of order to suggest that such a community and these manners of films would or do gel. Fearing the worst is also an honest response to knowing that a young man understanding and coming to terms with his sexuality and being a drag queen would not muster the thematics and tone wanted to do it justice. Shockingly, Vengeance actually does justice and service to this prominent supporting character. This is an arc that is woven in to be fabric of this story as being integral to its creation. Quite smart, in fact, to use it for audiences to accept and understand without it feeling fleeting or empty. Granted, it goes as far as it possibly can within this genre without getting both silly and offensive but nevertheless works and feels a welcoming induction to a franchise which felt it was singing to the Stone Island echo chamber.
For that aforementioned crowd and the larger fan base in general, Vengeance does not disappoint in being entertaining or thrilling. The narrative is quite straightforward, and thankfully so, as the resulting pacing and immersion feels wickedly fast and atmospheric. Almost as if it’s revealing itself in real time, but more so the film has very little fat surrounding it in terms of mumbling side characters or plotting. This first and foremost follows the fallout of Pat Tate and that’s exactly what fans want and what the story sells. Interestingly, however, the character of Pat Tate has been watered down a touch . Granted the violent outbursts are still here, but not the idiotic slab that was shown in previous entities. Pat Tate is now a chracther who things and feels. Perhaps this means nothing to the audience, but it gives a further dynamic of franchise lead Craig Fairbass to show his stuff and have a little more of a dimensional character to approach, which is refreshing. It could even be read internally and contextually as the results of Tate’s later dependency on a class drugs and their effects but more so a must for Fairbass to return to this character and make it fresh after having concerns with Origins and wanting to play said character again.
Support do a fine a job to fill out the numbers: Jamie Forman returns after the third outing to bring a little further closure to Tate’s story and the world building. Phil Davis enters the foray in another recast role as the villain and chews the screen up wonderfully, however he feels incredibly underused in sequences and left to ponder the screen on his own. Artist Arrdee turns up here in what feels like a cameo but quickly turns into a support character which might perhaps frustrate many, but to his credit, does an amicable job of playing with the big boys and investing some charisma into his limited role.
What more can be said about a franchise that felt it was over four films ago yet continues to plod on and make consistent decent gangster films? More power to the crew and director Nick Nevern who crafts a film that doesn’t feel like a cash cow venture and works to further the dynamics of a plot and central character Pat Tate, and to that degree, Nick and Co have succeeded. It’s surprisingly emotive and personal yet remains fun and engaging, even leaving room for one more entry (it’ll probably be another three) to conclude events set up here and to finally come full circle. If each result entry feels as progressive and engaging as this does, bring them on.
