Rent Bull (2021)

Vastly enjoyable violent thriller! - Bull review by Jamielou

My expectations weren't high & to be honest I couldn't remember even reserving the film for rental but I started watching and so glad I did. I've seen British low budget gangster films before, a lot of them are terrible sacrificing story for violence & naughty language. This has violence & naughty language but it also has a plot.  I won't spoil the ending but if you watch the rest of the film, it makes a lot of sense & ties up the film very well.  The acting is excellent and exemplary for such a low budget film.  This film should be much well known than it is, and I'll be spreading the word, as should you!

A skin crawling & brilliant vigilante film with Neil Maskell on outstanding form - Bull review by TB

Paul Andrew Williams, in 2006, made one of the best British films ever with London to Brighton. If you haven't seen it, immediately put it on your rental list. What he managed to create with a miniscule budget & 10 days shooting time (the budget was so small this was all they could afford) was the sort of masterpiece $100 million films can't even come close to. When I first saw it, the rawness and tension hit me like a sledgehammer and still stays with me. Whenever I watch a small budget British film, I rate it against London to Brighton & Trainspotting, such was the impact.

Sadly, unlike Danny Boyle, Andrew Williams's career never managed to get the same amount of traction. There were a couple of misfires, Cherry Tree Lane being one of them. Although he had a larger budget, unfortunately for me it was just too horrible to really be enjoyable or watchable. He also directed a lot of TV shows, but now finally he is back where he excels, with a small film, great cast, amazing script and shocking violence.

Bull was conceived and shot during the pandemic and as much as it will have been extremely challenging to arrange and film, I think the tension in the real world had an indelible effect on the drama on-screen. The plot is fairly basic, in that a gandland enforcer comes back to settle scores and get revenge after being horrifically double-crossed and left for dead. So far, so clichéd, you might think. But oh no. This film is so much more than that.

The real ace up it's sleeve is the incredible cast that Andrew Williams has put together, and front & center of this is Neil Maskell. Maskell is genuinely terrifying. Although I know he has played these type of characters before to great effect (Kill List is a particular highlight,) here he is absolutely unhinged and psychopathic. This makes the acts of violence he commits even more shocking.

David Hayman is also excellent as Bull's boss and father-in-law, matching him toe to toe in both intimidation and the levels of violence he is prepared to use.

The other cast members are also outstanding, particularly the little boy cast as Bull's son. The casting director deserves special praise for the fact that she managed to get a boy who literally is the total spitting image of Maskell.

Everything else, in terms of cinematography, music and sound is spot on. The only real complaint I have and what stops this reaching 5 stars is that, even though it's only 90 minutes, like Muscle (another outstanding micro budget film I have also reviewed,) it does run out of steam a bit towards the end. And given how tight as a film this is, the extra flab is really noticeable.

But still absolutely rent this and be blown away by the talent of everyone involved.

Made no sense - Bull review by MF

Very unrealistic, even taking into account the "twist" at the end.

No one struggles when awful violence is carried out on them, no one actually stands up to Bull (who, let's be honest, isn't really scary or intimidating) and no sign of the police even though the villains leave blood, weapons and fingerprints everywhere they go.

And Bull seems to have a unique ability to slice knives through flesh and bone with minimum effort. Silly.

Gruesome Revenge Thriller Britflick filmed on location in Dartford, Kent. - Bull review by PV

Personally I found the 2 parallel narratives in this film confusing - I know it's the filmic fashion to do this, but WHAT IS WRONG with signposting? Stating a year date on scenes which one finds out later are a decade apart? Being deliberately obtuse and confusing is not a plus.

Some great scenes in this and the main actor playing Bull is brilliant, One word; AUTHENTIC. Unlike the Asian actor playing a police officer which was really stretching credibility for me. The diversity police must've checked the script...

Fantastic to see MADE ON LOCATION IN DARTFORD at the end - the Working Men's Club which I know (near Spital St in the centre of that town) and St Vincent's Church up on Temple Hill which is not an area I ever knew well. REALLY authentic accents which was great.

The funfair filmed in Wales, Barry Island.

I think the Long Good Friday may have been an influence here....

NO SPOILERS but I did not enjoy the reveal ending or any metaphysical aspects. Some may like that sort of thing...

Gruesome scenes too in this, which is fine as it is justified not gratuitous - they are amoral gangsters after all. Lots of chopping is all I shall say.

SO a flawed film BUT very authentic and I have seen much worse.

4 stars