Veteran [Blu-ray]

It's OK. (Warning - Spoiler Included!)
Other reviewers pointed out that it is gritty, the character development is good, the acting mediocre, the action realistic, etc. All true. The plot twists are, admittedly, clever. And those are the reasons that I gave it three stars.
Now the downside.
>>>>>> this is your spoiler alert <<<
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BTW - if you do want to see a movie along a similar theme, done perfectly and professionally, with the same film-noire atmosphere, the same grey skied semi-nihilistic English settings, see the extremely good Harry Brown, starring the spectacular and subtle Michael Cain.

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OK - bottom line here. Throughout this movie we are introduced to a number of characters. We develop , if you will, a 'relationship' with them as we are expected to do with most movies. But here is the breakdown.
There are two people in the movie whom we really like. the female lead, a frightened yet brave...

Started Well But...
This movie had a lot of promise and started well. The main character was well done and believable. The plot was thrilling and smart--not the typical Hollywood car-chase, shoot-em-up adrenaline rush. Having said all that, they ruined everything good about this movie with an unbelievable 9/11 conspiracy theory twist near the end. Not only is the plot twist stupid, it's been done over and over again--the US government and the CIA are behind everything wrong in the world, blah, blah, blah. In this movie, the government conspires to prop up drug dealing and terrorism--wow, that's brilliant. I've got news for you, drug dealing and terrorism are thriving on their own without government help. Most of all I'm just angry at another potentially good movie wasted with a staggeringly foolish storyline. Skip it and save your time.

Bleak and gritty anti-hero film finally releases in U.S.
By Jim Clark, publisher Lee County Courier, Tupelo, MS

The Veteran tells the story of Robert Miller (Toby Kebbell) an Afghanistan soldier returning home to South London. He finds a rundown neighborhood taken over by gun-toting gangs. Robert can't find work but his skills don't go unnoticed. Jones (Ashley Thomas) a local drug lord offers him a job as part-body guard, part enforcer. Our proud veteran turns him down.
He eventually finds work through an ex-army mate (Tom Brooke) doing undercover surveillance for a couple of questionable government operatives (Tony Curran and Brian Cox).
Robert is supposedly keeping tabs on suspected terrorist cells. He learns, however, he's caught up in a conspiracy where the good guys and the bad guys blur. In order to survive he has to shift back into his role as a soldier but this time the battlefield is at home.
Robert becomes a reluctant anti-hero. The director of The Veteran had two characters in mind when developing the...

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