If you like your Brit gangster films to be more gritty than glitzy, then this brutal Merseyside-set crime epic should have plenty of appeal.

Clearly influenced by the likes of Lock, Stock... and The Business but with a much stronger emphasis on the seedier side of gangland life, The Crew is an uncompromising look at the criminal underworld and the unhinged characters who populate it.

Ged Brennan (Williams) is a major figure in Scouse organised crime, but, following a job gone wrong and the brutal murder of one of his associates, he realises that its time to get out of the game. Planning one last job that will set him up for early retirement, Ged incurs the wrath of his unstable brother Ratter (Doughty), who is keen to expand their empire and crush any opposition.

Angry at being sidelined by his sibling, Ratter – with the help of fellow psychopath Paul the Hom (Paul Olivier) – begins making dangerous drug deals that could jeopardize Ged's plans and put all their lives in danger.

Meanwhile, feared gang boss Franner (Graham) is on the warpath as he searches for those responsible for the slaying of his and Ged's colleague, and, as the day of the big job approaches, the scene is set for a bloodbath of epic proportions.

Beatings, murders, torture, sexual depravity, swearing and the music of Ocean Colour Scene. What more could fans of the great British crime film ask for? Based on the novel Outlaws by popular crime writer Kevin Sampson, The Crew certainly doesn't pull any punches in its depiction of the grim blood and guts reality of life on the mean streets of Merseyside.

Not for the faint-of-heart, it's a tough, exhilarating watch with scenes guaranteed to shock and stun. From a vicious home invasion to a generously proportioned prostitute doing something unspeakable on a glass coffee table, Vitoria's film is anything but forgettable.

What's more, the performances are impressive. The stoic Williams proves to be an endearingly complex central figure, Public Enemies star Graham is in his element as the vengeful gangster putting it to the scallies and ex-Brookside star Olivier gives a conspicuously showy turn as Ratter's demented partner in crime.

It may not be one for subtlety or nuance but The Crew has got all the elements of the best British crime flicks and will definitely find fans among aficionados of the genre.

Chris Prince