Rise of the Footsoldier

Rise of the Footsoldier (2007)

  • 14% of critics liked it
    (7 reviews)

  • 84% of users liked it
    (15,066 ratings)

Julian Gilbey's fact-based crime saga Rise of the Footsoldier traces one man's meteoric ascension from a lucrative soccer career, through the ranks of organized crime, to the status of Britain's most omnipotent drug lord. The tale begins in the 1970s, when hooligan Carlton Leach (Ricci Harnett)… More

R, 1 hr. 59 min.
Directed By
Julian Gilbey
Genres
Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Sep 7, 2007 Wide
On DVD
Dec 2, 2008

Critic Reviews

  • Leigh Singer, Film4

    Ugly.

  • David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]

    Fans of British geezer films would be better off checking out I.D. - this is best enjoyed after a night at the pub on DVD.

  • Catherine Chambers, BBC

    Footsoldier doesn't so much pack a punch as leave you feeling violated and more importantly, robs you of two hours of your life you won't get back.

  • Jamie Russell, Total Film

    The filmmakers' wide-eyed attempt to turn Leach into a living legend will probably rattle Daily Mail readers' cages; everyone else may find its stonking hard-on for real-life hard men slightly ludicrous.

  • Tim Evans, One People's Project

    Gore-flecked rucks and bruising rumbles are the order of the day in this unflinching portrait of a demi-monde your really rather wish would stay that way.

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Lady D


    This film is certainly more in your face than a lot of British Gangster films and obviously based on a true story (some people may remember links from the film ?Essex Boys? although, a lot of that film was fictional). I suppose we hear a lot about East End gangster, or London… More

  • Anthony L


    This is quite a nasty film. I guess that hardly surprising when its all about nasty people but i guess it depends on your cup of tea. The other thing I thought let the film down was its lack of direction. The film is plagued by unnecessary sub plots and flash backs just for the sake… More

  • Luke B


    A truly horrible film on all levels. It starts off as some Football Factory wannabe following the exploits of some very unlikeable bloke who just swears, womanisers, doesn't do drugs but then does and uses excesive violence because his flowers didn't bloom this year or… More

  • Khris N


    Yeaaahhhh. A good ole brutal, bloody, shameless (on all levels) Brit gangster movie. Which also happens to be the a real good authentic biography of one of Englands most brutal and toughest criminals, Carlton Leach. Hell YEAH! This follows the the beginning of Leach's criminal… More

  • Marcus W


    It starts on the terraces of West Ham but moves on and charts the rise to power of Carlton Leach. The second half changes direction and we see Leach (wisely) take a back seat as the film marches on to The Land-Rover Murders of '95. The last half hour is a bit superfluous, but up… More

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

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