User Reviews

Why do these series always start off good then just go off the map daft ? Phone home Elliot

I dont understand why the heck the english series makers insist on screwing the entire season in the last episode On the steps of GOT

After a great start in the first two episodes, unfortunately it went downhill! It was full of stupid people making stupid mistakes that put them in the line of fire! People who operate at this level just don't make those sort of mistakes, regardless of which side of the line they are on! If we do have a second series some more intelligent writing would be nice!

The destruction of the gang leaders was crammed into the last episode. They tied up loose ends rather sloppily. It would have benefited from at least one extra episode to prevent it being so rushed.

Last episode sucks I didn't like the way it ends with shown

A little late to the party but I've finally gone back and watched "Gangs of London" that I recorded about this time last year, but got lost a little in a sea of Covid Content. Though I admired quite a lot of this show, a few niggles with the story stopped it from being something I considered truly top class.

The murder of Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) patriarch of a family and head of a crime syndicate causes ructions around city of London. His son, Sean (Joe Cole) presumed next in line for control beings a violent hunt for the perpetrators, whilst senior advisers Ed Dumani (Lucian Msamati) and his son Alexander (Paapa Essideu) try to assure the various interested parties that London and the Wallace organisation are open for business. Into this steps Elliot Finch (Sope Dirisu) a low-level enforcer who sees the confusion as an opportunity to rise the ranks.

I normally start my appraisals with the positives, but I think I'm going to lead with the negatives here as there are less of them. Mostly the issues I found were with how complex the story is at times, there a numerous factions (generally regional or ethnic groups) that Wallace held together that now see their rivalries return. Sometimes, it's a little hard in all that to maintain who is on who's side and what their ultimate motivations are. I also felt a little underwhelmed at the conclusion of the show, thought I understand that there are opportunities to go forward with it now.

The best aspect is Gareth Evans being involved and particularly him bringing some of the action chops that he showed in "The Raid" and its sequel into some really phenomenal action sequences that pepper, particularly, the earlier episodes. He also directs the standout fifth episode, one that could almost stand alone and contains a brutal sustained attack on remote farmhouse. Performances and visuals across the whole series are very impressive.

A little tighter plotted and with a few less blind alley characters then this might have been right up there, as it is, I'll be back for the second season.

The finale almost seemed like a phone in. It was all over the place. You figure out halfway thru the episode that it's opposite day; because they do everything opposite of what would follow previous episodes. If there's a season 2 and it's anything like the finale it'll be skipped by me.

Whereas I really enjoyed the season (with episode 5 being an absolute highlight) so far, I was quite shocked by the total disaster that the last episode is. It lacks credibility on so many different levels. Scenes that were apparently meant to be shocking, turned out to be comical instead. It's a real shame as the series started off so promising.

This series went from good to parody. Excessive violence just became laughable and all persons stupid and despicable. A bit like Monty Python and the holy Grail; except the humour.

This end is sucks first time Why marian let ed try to kill her and sean simply let elliot kill him and he know what he is

You get what it says on the tin on this one. A gangster movie based in London, and it really does reflect the modern cosmopolitan ethnic mix. However, that's where reality begins and ends with this ultraviolence show.

What we have in this first season is an Anglo-Irish gangster family in business and at war with all the other ethnic gangs to remain at the top of the ladder. Thinking themselves as the apex predators, they find themselves to be as vulnerable as the rest. Add in undercover cops, financial shenanigans and dysfunctional families, and you have all the ingredients to a modern gangster drama.

The problem is that it becomes clear that this was made by a director who is interested in the action scenes only (no surprise this being made by the director of the incredible 'The Raid'), yet that becomes a distraction. London gangwars are made out to be like as if the city is in the middle of an apocalypse, with heavy artillery and covert green berets on the prowl. It's a bit laughable and nauseating in that sense.

The action scenes are way too much, and there is one big action scene after another in each show, when really they could have just done fewer and built up to the story to each.

The show is good, and actors are fine with a clutch recognisable stars from Peaky Blinders and Game of Thrones. However, our lead never convinces in his role, but Michelle Fairley more than compensates for that with another stand out role as the cheated matriarch of the family.

I won't give anything away. There's a lot to take in. You'll have to get your head around the different gangs (Turks, Irish, English, gypsies, Pakistanis, African groups, Danish etc), and unlike Game of Thrones, they don't give you time to take it all in. It's all in your face. Just accept it and maybe dont' think too much.

Improves as it goes on the first season, but the ending is a sham, and completely nonsense I thought. Almost ruined it all but they reined it all in partially.

Despite my mixed comments above on the show, it's a fine series to watch, but it's not some game changer for British gangster film making. Enjoyable & entertaining for the action scenes and some of the story, but nothing more to date.

Maybe the second season will see some big changes that will move everything along better.