Review of Shank

Shank (2009)
7/10
Not without faults but graphic and powerful
30 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This takes place in Bristol in the UK. Cal (Wayne Virgo) is part of a gang who go out and casually beat up people for no reason. Cal is also gay. He can't tell his gang and has anonymous degrading sex and tries to hide his feelings in drugs. Then one day his gang attack an innocent French student named Olivier (Marc Laurent). Cal intervenes and saves Olivier because he falls in love with him at first sight. They become lovers and the members of Cal's gang swear they will get back at him.

SPOILERS! OK--there are plenty of problems here. Laurent is a dreadful actor and has NO chemistry with Virgo at all. Their relationship never rings true. The HEAVY British accents make most of the dialogue unintelligible. The rap music is very annoying. There's a twist near the climax involving Nessa (Alice Payne) that I didn't believe for a minute. And the rape scene at the end was too graphic and far too disturbing. However the plot is good and interesting. Virgo has a difficult role but pulls it off. Also he's a very handsome man and there's plenty of nude shots of him (front and back). The sex scene between Cal and Olivier is explicit but very erotic and hot! There's also plenty of simulated gay sex scenes and frequent male nudity. Also Tom Bott is excellent as Cal's best friend Junno. The sexual tension between those two was incredible. I wish the movie had been about them being lovers! Also their acting during the rape scene at the end was just superb.

All in all its not without its faults but it does work. Graphic and powerful. I give it a 7.
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