4.3.2.1. (15)
Dir. Noel Clarke & Mark Davis
Reviewed by Matt Adcock
The countdown has started:
4 gorgeous girls – The sexy but downtrodden Joanne (Emma Roberts), the demur but self-harming Shannon (Ophelia Lovibond), the wild and out of control Kerry (Shanika Warren-Markland) and the stunning rich girl Cassandra (Tamsin Egerton)…
3 action packed days – which see the girls involved in stolen diamond heists, violent assaults, shootouts, sex and shopping.
2 cities – London and New York
1 chance – to escape their everyday lives on the mean streets and life the dream.
Noel ‘Kidulthood and Adulthood’ Clarke delivers a new Brit twist on the multiple viewpoint heist movie formula which blazed onto our screens through films like Reservoir Dogs. 4.3.2.1. takes a dynamic, self destructive conclusion timed a t 23.30 on a Sunday night and rewinds the three days leading up to it four times, through the lives of the four girls.
This is basically an FHM reading lad’s wish fulfilment film which casts attractive girls and puts them through three tough days which reverses the charges of sexism by empowering the females leads. Men don’t stand a chance in 4.3.2.1. – they are generally creeps, losers and scumbags, girls however, well girls are tough, hot heroines who can save the day no matter what the odds.
Stylishly made in the vein of the excellent ‘Go’ from 1999, 4.3.2.1.mixes smart pop culture references, foul mouthed humour and crowd pleasing action scenes with a serious underlying level of threat. The result is director Clarke’s best film to date, he has a cool sense of humour – keep an eye on television news scenes in the background which sport superb headlines such as ‘Chelsea Football Club Declared Bankrupt’. Add in fun cameos from king of slacker comedy Kevin ‘Clerks’ Smith and rapper ‘Eve’, and keep the whole things sizzling with some over the top payback. Clarke appears himself as a dodgy shop worker and EastEnders’ finest veteran Michelle Ryan cuts a swathe as a nasty crime enforcer. Does it make much sense? Not at all. Is it a lot of fun to watch? Absolutely!
"which one is your favourite?"
" Naughty..."
"Taking being a babe seriously!?"
All the lead girls deliver good performances, some might wonder if it’s entirely necessary for them each to have scenes in their underwear but they do catch the eye. The four separate tales collide after three days due to some nicely implausible plot twists and it even sets up a potential sequel. Girl power has never looked so good.
"Yep - she's a babe"
"where did I put my clothes?"
UNSEEN DELETED SCENE:
Sesame Street puppets kidnap the girls and teach them to sing the 4.3.2.1. song before Kerry breaks free and slaughters the puppets in graphic style...
Darkmatters rating: öööööööö (8 babe powered actions out of 10)
Darkmatters quick reference guide: Action 8 / Style 8 / Babes 9 / Comedy 8 / Horror 5 / Spiritual Enlightenment 2
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