A British film in the vein of Kidulthood and sort of a Science Fiction thriller like the French District 13 or Le Dernier Combat. The story revolves around an increase in poverty in mainland Britain to the point where drugs are no longer the “currency of the ghetto” but “munchies” or food.

The early death by “shank” (ie. stabbing) of one character sees a gang hell bent on revenge and getting up to various mischief on the way. Most of the time the police seem to be non-existent in this apocalyptic little world and its never really explained quite properly where they are.

Whilst I enjoyed Shank, I would caution that the accents get a bit hard to understand at times with dialogue sprinkled with all sorts of inner-London euphemisms. I have a feeling that this film was trying to make a point very vaguely about knife-crime in London which has become almost epidemic, you’ll see what I mean in the films final moments.