Personal and professional relationships intertwine in this gritty British police drama.  The Sweeney is the elite Flying Squad of the London Metropolitan Police.  They use their own unique tactics to take down armed robberies throughout the city.  They are led in the field by a throwback of an officer, DI Jack Regan, whose standard tactics are threats, intimidation, and brute force, which the rest of his squad emulates.  No-one is spared; not even his police colleagues.

A small time robbery at a jewellery shop, but with an unexpected and brutal murder, leads The Sweeney to a much larger bank job in central London.  Against orders, they go in with guns blazing with disastrous consequences for the squad and bystanders alike.  Regan and his closest ally DC George Carter must pick up the pieces of the investigation despite the threat of suspension and arrest.

This is an intense movie.  Feelings are strong between characters, the violence is brutal at times, and the profanity is pervasive.  Yet for all that, I didn’t feel much of anything for this movie or its characters.  There was absolutely zero tension, and I felt no strong loyalties or hatreds towards any of the characters.  In the end, it was a standard police drama with a predictable end.  By the way, unless you`re thoroughly familiar with the London accent, I suggest you turn on the English subtitles.  Even then, some of the slang is totally incomprehensible.

Available at VPL on DVD, starring Ray Winstone, Ben Drew and Damian Lewis (Homeland).