Featured Audience Ratings

• Chris W

  
  This is a grim and gritty slice-of-life look at the exploits and downfall of a rowdy gang of neo-Nazi skinhead punks in suburban Melbourne. Starring Russell Crowe, this is the film that elevated from the position of just another up and coming actor with a music career on the side to… More
  This is a grim and gritty slice-of-life look at the exploits and downfall of a rowdy gang of neo-Nazi skinhead punks in suburban Melbourne. Starring Russell Crowe, this is the film that elevated from the position of just another up and coming actor with a music career on the side to international star...which in turn then eventually lead him to major notice a few years later when Hollywood came calling. As the gang's leader Hando, he's great. You could argue that this role is just a typical attention bait sort of thing, especially when it allows for some real histrionics, but he pulls it off well, and is pretty convincing and chilling. Daniel Pollock appears as Hndo's right hand man Davey, and Jacqueline McKenzie is Gabe- the troubled junkie that becomes the object of their affection. The movie is fairly light on hard plot, but it's not totally aimless. It doesn't really give too much insight into the seeds of racial hatred, or have extensive character development, but as a glimpse into the Australian version of this particular subculture it is very successful. The film can be quite chaotic and unpleasant, but it's fitting, and the film uses mise-en-scene to great effect to really make this stark and dark wasteland come alive. Seriously, the film plays out like a documentary at times, which I think is one of it's strengths. It does actually have character development, but it seems to mostly uses the neo-Nazi angle as just a thing instead of exploring it fully along the lines of something like American History X. For a low-budget non-U.S. indie though, it is a decent piece of work. It's rough, but ultimately saved by good cinematography, good production/costume design, and great performances, especially from Crowe.

• Manu G

  
  You've never seen anything like it. Crazy crazy movie but a good one. Lots of fights and crazy skinheads doing some crazy stuff. The film is as strong and devilish as it comes. If you like American History and Animal Kingdom you'll probably like this one too. If you want to… More
  You've never seen anything like it. Crazy crazy movie but a good one. Lots of fights and crazy skinheads doing some crazy stuff. The film is as strong and devilish as it comes. If you like American History and Animal Kingdom you'll probably like this one too. If you want to see an excellent historical lesson about hate and how it destroys, see Romper Stomper. Nazi skinheads in Melbourne take out their anger on local Vietnamese, who are seen as threatening racial purity. Finally the Vietnamese have had enough and confront the skinheads in an all-out confrontation, sending the skinheads running. A woman who is prone to epileptic seizures joins the skins' merry band, and helps them on their run from justice, but is her affliction also a sign of impurity?

• Sophie B

  
  A horrible yet endearing film about people in pain. The neo-nazis are shown in a bad light which they most certainly should be, but the acting of some of the members make me feel sad for them that they have fallen into this path. Great performances and an amazing final scene.

• Conner R

  
  The equivalent of American History X, without the redemption aspect. I liked that this feels like an even more realistic version of A Clockwork Orange in terms of an impoverished urban lifestyle, in which gangs rule. Russell Crowe is unbelievably convincing as the head honcho… More
  The equivalent of American History X, without the redemption aspect. I liked that this feels like an even more realistic version of A Clockwork Orange in terms of an impoverished urban lifestyle, in which gangs rule. Russell Crowe is unbelievably convincing as the head honcho Skinhead; his reign of terror in this is worth watching alone. I wasn't crazy about the final showdown, but I guess it had to be done in order to be released. The visual style is wonderfully grainy and almost as deranged as its hero.

• Dan S

  
  A solid, almost unbearably violent look at Neo-Nazis in Australia and how they start to get into big trouble once their fearless leader (Russell Crowe) goes a little over the edge. While it has its share of problems, including a love triangle that feels awkwardly forced into place,… More
  A solid, almost unbearably violent look at Neo-Nazis in Australia and how they start to get into big trouble once their fearless leader (Russell Crowe) goes a little over the edge. While it has its share of problems, including a love triangle that feels awkwardly forced into place, the movie has a lot going for it. Director Geoffrey Wright creates one of the most nihilistic, bleak, and irrefutably depressing backdrops seen in quite a while, really. Authority and control is lurking somewhere but it's never a real threat to these characters. The character Jacqueline McKenzie plays is also very interesting, especially seeing how troubled her relationship with her father is. It's no "American History X" in terms of storytelling ability, but like 'X', it features an outstanding, scary lead performance from its star (in this case, Crowe). Certainly not for everyone, but definitely an intriguing, disturbing look into the diseased minds of groups like this.

• Nelson P

  
  Probably the greatest movie about skinheads. Russell Crowe was able to play a despicable hero you cant help but like a little.

• Anthony L

  
  A really good film about Neo Nazis that goes off the plot a little too much at the end but still remains as powerful now as it was back in the early 90?s !

• Lee ?

  
  An awesome and aggressively shot movie focusing on a group of Melbourne skinheads, led by "Hando" (Russell Crowe), as they wreak havoc amongst the growing Vietnamese community in their town. A thing I liked about it is that it wasn't a preachy movie, and it has been… More
  An awesome and aggressively shot movie focusing on a group of Melbourne skinheads, led by "Hando" (Russell Crowe), as they wreak havoc amongst the growing Vietnamese community in their town. A thing I liked about it is that it wasn't a preachy movie, and it has been critisized for being sympathetic to skinheads by giving them more of a heart, but this adds some realism to the film and makes it more interesting. What "Romper Stomper" is saying is that if you live a life of violence and hate, it will lead to your own self destruction whether you're a skinhead or an Islamic terrorist, it doesn't matter. This is the best Skinhead movie out there IMO. It sets an excellent pace from the start making sure things are on the move and that it never gets dull - and it certainly doesn't! Very real and well acted performances, brutal, dark humored and unforgettable. OI, WATCH IT!

• Lady D

  
  Not quite as great as I remember this film being, maybe that's because of my recent viewing of 'This is England', however it's still a good watch and still conveys a message. One of Crowe's earlier films, that showed his talent then.

• Nani V

  
  Russell Crowe looks way different in here. Very scary guy.

• Michael S

  
  unfortunately overshadowed by a little film called American History X.

• Dean M

  
  Russell Crowe has an excellent performance in this Aussie film as the hell-raising skinhead leader of the gang. Because he won the AFI Award for best actor.

• Michael G

  
  An incredible and disturbing film. Russell Crowe at his best.

• Cameron J

  
  Un-un, this skinhead movie ain't none of that "American History X" stuff. There's no sophistication or morality. In fact, this film is so brutally neo-nazi that it really has no reason to be about neo-nazis. I guess they were just looking for a logical reason for… More
  Un-un, this skinhead movie ain't none of that "American History X" stuff. There's no sophistication or morality. In fact, this film is so brutally neo-nazi that it really has no reason to be about neo-nazis. I guess they were just looking for a logical reason for Russell Crowe to go around screaming, swearing, abusing his girlfriend and making racist assaults because they made this movie back before Mel Gibson made for an interesting biopic topic. Ha, I rhymed. But seriously though, if the skinhead thing is just a device for logical placement of brutal violence and other edgy material, it still doesn't keep this content from being periodically gratuitous and rather disturbing. Other flaws include a lack of development, an extremely repetative soundtrack, too much noise when there's not too much quietness, messy camerawork, abrupt events and very inconsistant character focus. In spite of this, the film features such strengths as a good score, good sound effects complemented by good sound editing, (except for the gunshots, those were ridiculous) some snappy film editing, strong characters, tensity and good acting. Possibly the greatest powers behind the film are the three leads: Daniel Pollock, Jacqueline McKenzie and Russell Crowe. The chemistry between them is crackling and carries the compellingness of the film, as do the solid performances executed by the three. McKenzie's character Gabrielle seems the most developed, primarily because McKenzie excellently conveys the struggles of her character. Pollock's character Davey seems forced as a major character come part 2, but his brilliant performance conquers the spotlight and keeps you invested in him as the hero, making it a painful shame that he took his life before his career could flourish as it very likely would have. Finally, we have Crowe, who does a remarkable job as our antihero, smoothly transitioning from strong protagonist to viciously effective villain without leaving you feeling the drastic change in his character's role too much. This was one of the rightful first steps for Crowe on his journey to becoming the heavyweight actor he is today. Ultimately, "Romper Stomper" is flawed and with disturbing content worthy of its controversy, but the compellingness led by the solid performances of the leads make it a strong classic thriller.

• Daniel P

  
  An outstanding performance from Russell Crowe together with kinetic visuals and a sublime soundtrack are significant pluses to this thriller concerning Australian neo-Nazi skinheads. However, as with (to a lesser extent) American History X, the lack of a substantial voice to the other… More
  An outstanding performance from Russell Crowe together with kinetic visuals and a sublime soundtrack are significant pluses to this thriller concerning Australian neo-Nazi skinheads. However, as with (to a lesser extent) American History X, the lack of a substantial voice to the other side troubles me (though it certainty wouldn't be true to say that the film glamourises the gangs), and the tone eventually becomes wearying. I get the feeling the editing has been just a little too severe, to the overall detriment of the film.

• Greg A

  
  The only problem I ever had with this movie is the soundtrack, it just feels out of place and awkward and it puts a damper on a good racial drama. Russell Crowe is the head of a skinhead gang. He is incredibly destructive ordering his gang to attack the new Asian immigrants moving… More
  The only problem I ever had with this movie is the soundtrack, it just feels out of place and awkward and it puts a damper on a good racial drama. Russell Crowe is the head of a skinhead gang. He is incredibly destructive ordering his gang to attack the new Asian immigrants moving into his neighborhood. But he is not so smart in that his little attacks have made him the target of his enemies that far outnumber him and left to his own devices it might as well be anybody that he is attacking. One point in the film when he is attempting to convince his friend that he should murder his ex-girlfriend I am thinking to myself "he's just not happy unless he is killing or getting others to kill for him." It is true that this movie may not be very smart in terms of trying to deal with "what is racism? are you actually racist or have you been fed racist propaganda so long that you can't tell the truth for yourself?" Definitely not a "This is England" or "American History X" approach in storytelling. Yet in its simplicity there is a charm to it, this is the story of a micro-dictator and the downfall of his regime.

• Mike T

  
  As many people have identified, Romper Stomper is a film that shamelessly flaunts its influences... most predominantly, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Scorsese's Mean Streets. I consider both of those films to be masterworks partially because their ferocity was backed by… More
  As many people have identified, Romper Stomper is a film that shamelessly flaunts its influences... most predominantly, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Scorsese's Mean Streets. I consider both of those films to be masterworks partially because their ferocity was backed by insight, which is something that cannot be said for Romper Stomper. Geoffrey Wright takes an ambiguous stance in order to avoid making this skinhead story into a message movie. I'm fine with that, considering it never comes across as "pro-racist" in my opinion. However, the nonstop ugliness and cruelty of the film feels senseless because of the sub-par writing. Focusing entirely on tone and atmosphere, Wright fails to construct believable relationships and motives out of the people that occupy his story. As a result, the maliciousness becomes wearisome and it is evident that the aim of the picture was to stir up controversy rather than fulfill its audience. That being said, Russell Crowe does deserve positive recognition. He dominates his role with all the finesse expected from a professional of his caliber.

• Nicky M

  
  Interesting story around a group of Skinheads in Australia led by a young Russel Crowe manages to humanize an unpopular group. Does lead into the misunderstandings and hate and the possible results. Good pace and well acted and makes ya think... If not for a few changes in life...

• Stefan P

  
  Since Romper Stomper has been labelled as a cult classic I expected a movie that was at least near, in sense of quality, one of the greatest dramas of all time - American History X. In fact, this movie shouldn't be compared to Tony Kaye's masterpiece (yes, I'm aware of… More
  Since Romper Stomper has been labelled as a cult classic I expected a movie that was at least near, in sense of quality, one of the greatest dramas of all time - American History X. In fact, this movie shouldn't be compared to Tony Kaye's masterpiece (yes, I'm aware of the irony, I just did compare them, but you get the point). The story is uninteresting and lacks depth. In many scenes it seems that the viewer is supposed to feel sympathy for the characters which is absurd considering how simple-minded they are. I didn't like the visual style either and the ending left many loose ends.

• Marcus W

  
  It's impossible not to compare this with American History X, as they share a theme. But where that had a great plot/character and Edward Norton, this has a gritty low-budget feel which suits the film and makes the violence that bit more harrowing. It also has a young Russell… More
  It's impossible not to compare this with American History X, as they share a theme. But where that had a great plot/character and Edward Norton, this has a gritty low-budget feel which suits the film and makes the violence that bit more harrowing. It also has a young Russell Crowe, here being very uncuddly. Like AHX, this also shows the consequences of such beliefs but in a far more direct and relentless way.

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