Idris serves up a spine-tingling tale of revenge
DEBUT THAT’S PACKED WITH EXCITEMENT
IF Idris Elba misses out on the James Bond gig, at least he’s got another job to fall back on.
Judging by this impressive adaptation of Victor Headley’s cult 1992 novel, the Brit actor has a bright future ahead of him as a director.
Yardie marks Elba’s first stint in the foldable chair and – like the British superspy 007 – it’s stylish, witty and isn’t afraid to take a few risks.
Elba stages long stretches of his debut film in unsubtitled Jamaican Patois.
It’s a gamble that pays off handsomely.
Once your ear is tuned to the rhythm, the dialogue sparkles.
It also takes some nerve to try to make a hero out of a gun-toting gangster from Jamaica who arrives in London with a huge bag of cocaine taped to his belly.
At times, you may find your sympathy wavering for yardie (London slang for a Jamaican gangster) “D”, but a charismatic turn from Aml Ameen should keep you onside.
A gorgeously shot and wonderfully scored prologue introduces us to a young D, short for Dennis, in 1973 Jamaica.
He’s helping his peace-loving rasta brother Jerry Dread (Everaldo Creary) set-up a sound system in the “no-man’s land” that separates two local gangs. Jerry’s tunes get the whole neighbourhood dancing. Then D notices a young boy in the crowd raise a gun. Jerry Dread is dead and D set on a path of revenge.
When we jump forward 10 years, he’s been recruited as drug runner by gang boss and music impresario King Fox (Sheldon Shepherd). After D nearly sparks another gang war, King Fox packs him off to London until things cool down.
To pay his way, he tasks him with delivering a kilo of cocaine to a London dealer and club owner Rico, a white Jamaican played with relish by Stephen Graham.
As soon as D walks into Rico’s East End dancehall, he knows Rico is going to be a problem. He’s unpredictable, unscrupulous and seems to have been getting high on his supply. D makes his escape with the cocaine and Rico’s goons are very quickly hot on his tail.
After a thrilling night-time chase he makes his way to the East End apartment block where his childhood girlfriend Yvonne (Shantol Jackson) lives with their young daughter.
Yvonne isn’t best pleased to learn the gang violence of her home town has followed her to London. But Elba and his screenwriters have the good sense to intersperse the arguments with some very funny lines.
There is also welcome humour as D pairs up with a gang of local musicians to sell his stolen stash to white yuppies in partnership with the Turkish mafia.
As the tension begins to sag under the weight of side characters and sub-plots, you begin to suspect that Elba’s ambition will be brought down by his inexperience.
But the revenge story is the least interesting thing about the film.
The performances, the witty dialogue, the bracingly authentic production design and the thumping soundtrack are what makes this movie sing.
If they will not let Elba play Bond, perhaps they will let him produce the theme tune? • • • •