Director: Zackary Adler
Cast: Craig Fairbrass, Terry Stone, Eddie Webber, Larry Lamb, Jamie Forema
Rating: 18
Release Date: 3.11.17
Rise of the Footsoldier 3: The Pat Tate Story is the newest addition to director Zackary Adler’s catalogue, serving as a prequel to the previous two Rise of the Footsoldier films.
Based on the story of Pat Tate, a notorious drug dealer and member of the gang named “The Essex Boys,” the film is full to the brim with gangster iconography – sex, heavy drug use and violence.
The film stars a heap of British talent such as Larry Lamb (Essex Boys, EastEnders), Jamie Foreman (Layer Cake, Oliver Twist) and Terry Stone (Bonded by Blood, Doghouse).
The performances are fun to watch, with typical dry British humour thrown in for good measure. Fairbrass plays a convincing hard-boiled gangster, and brings a powerful (and at times, intimidating) presence to the screen.
Set in Marbella and Essex, the film wastes no time getting straight into the action, complete with a voiceover from Pat Tate (Craig Fairbrass.)
However, there seems to be little to no sense of time. Each ‘scene’ runs directly into the next one, which makes the narrative feel slightly long-winded; a shame when compared to the brutal ending scene, which is very rushed. This is disappointing, as anyone familiar with the story of Pat Tate is aware of what to expect at the film’s end, yet it is over in a matter of seconds after a long build-up.
Overall, the film serves its purpose as a British low-budget crime film. However, some elements do fall short which makes it hard to focus on at times. However, with its use of typical British humour and audience’s love for gritty gangster flicks, it still holds up and can be enjoyable.
