I new nothing about this film before seeing it and had no expectations whatsoever. As it started I feared it would be a re-trodden path of the ex-soldier having a hard time readjusting and dealing with depression, which in a way it was. However, the story soon split into several subplots, raising my level of interest and intrigue, before building into a crescendo of a well acted and nicely, grittily shot espionage film.

I read the review by Ced Yuen, and I'm a little surprised someone would try to dismantle this film and attack it's exaggeration of reality in terms of how a returning soldier would react and how non-realistic the ensuing action was. This film is pure entertainment, with a gritty, suedo- realism that is obviously from the mind of a writer who intended to entertain with an interesting and exciting story. It's not supposed to be a documentary of great insight into the mind of a war veteran.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and recommend it if you are in the mood for something different, yet very entertaining, with a nice mix of genre that you would not usually come across.

This film shows the aftermath of a Veteran returning home to England after serving in the middle east. The streets, the gang activity were a nuisance to this honorable young man. He was a man of "special talents" learned through combat. The local gangs, thugs brought about him unleashing his abilities on them. Tony Kebbell's very thorough movements when in a tactical situation were astounding. Having a professional background in Tactical Operations myself, I truly appreciated how he carried out his moves and handling of an AR / M-4 type weapon. Here was a man that wanted peace and tried to help others, only to be pulled back into using these methods learned. Sad but sometimes a reality. Excellent movie overall.

I just watched this film, and it was way better then what some of the reviews on here indicated. Sure as like most films it is nothing new, no Oscars will be handed out, but it had me watching with interest from start till the end.

Sure it had some slow parts in it, but the story line was solid, acting was good, and the pile of bodies made up for the slow parts.

The British do these kind of films well, most of their cop shows are well done, and they are very good at making crime films.

Like I said no Oscar on its way, but a hell of lot better then the crap that has been coming out of Hollywood this year.

Solid 8 out of 10

Toby Kebbel is excellent as the veteran, returning to his London council estate following retiring from army duty. The decorated soldier struggles to find work and so gets involved in an anti terrorist undercover role, tailing an informant (the team being led by Brian Cox). Whilst this is going on he tries to help his friend against the neighbourhood hoodie gang, who are brainwashing his brother into the local gang culture.

Dark, gritty, slow to build up but gripping and exciting (and threatening) this Brit flick is a great watch. Miller (Kebbel) then realises all is not what it first seemed and has to find a way out and rectify a situation he is struggling to deal with. The thing that made it for me was the arguably non sell out ending, remaining in keeping with the film and rewarding the viewers patience with the story and slower first half. It is far from perfect, but with a forgiving film fan head, this film may surprise a few and entertain, and that is the point.

Definitely a top 20 film of 2011 and it's non blockbuster status will make it an even better watch for admirers of this sort of film and content, a modern underdog fighting back styled film.

This film is similar to Harry Brown, Taxi Driver and Outlaw.

The movie's flaw was the antagonist formulaic Dr. Evil plan. For once, it would be OK to kill the "overlord" without having him explain the diabolical purpose.

I was impressed throughout the movie that the characters didn't use one-liner tough guy clichés.

Miller was matter-of-fact. He performed "the weary war veteran" as it is in real life. I'll qualify that by saying I did heavy combat in the Gulf War (1991) as a reconnaissance specialist and fought in 8 major battles (sorry about the narcissistic statement) I just want to say that I am qualified to make that statement.

Miller had to have been trained by a professional combat/SWAT team. If you spot someone "double tapping" the trigger, looking down the barrel (the right end) and actually reloading (firearms usually carry between 7 - 30 rounds, not 900).

I appreciate that the ending was "sad." I didn't like that he was taken out by a kid. The kid was not a worthy adversary, but that's a reality too. How stupid if I came back home from heavy battles and died by falling off a ladder or by a 12 year old wanna-be gang member with a stolen, cheap gun.

But that's real and you never hear of veterans talking about the irony. You also knew he would die from the very beginning. He had nothing in life to prevent him from making the sacrifice.

He didn't win the war, but he won the battle and ultimately saved lives.

You can say that he also payed for the collateral damage - the female tenet - that he couldn't save the boy from going down the path. And, to have ended the movie with him escaping would be disgusting Hollywood, cookie- cutter pulp.

This has the stamp of an indie film; it was low budget (I don't have the figure) but it meant it was not constrained by studios that pacify the masses.

The paste eating audience and band-wagon critics can throw out 8's for The Fast and Furious, Harry Potter, Star Wars 1-3, Toy Story, you get the picture. Some films are entertaining but they cannot be considered as cinema. They should be classified as theme park rides.

Hollywood movies are like roller-coasters; you're guided on a track, at the mercy of a controller and make you vomit.

Real cinema has disappeared long before paperback books.

I rate the audience and critics as 0/10

This is actually a brilliant film, if you can forgive a few minor flaws. Kebbel plays 'Bobby' brilliantly and the key characters are all convincing; a tip of the hat to the absence of prima donna Hollywood stars there.

The accuracy and attention to detail in certain areas more than make up for the relative shortness of the film, for example how Bobby takes a quick visual check of the chamber on his rifle before moving from cover in between contacts in the main firefight scene. This scene gets the old adrenalin going a little, it is actually very similar to the street battle scene from 'Heat'; no music, just the sound of gunfire echoing in the streets.

The espionage element and the political scheming is portrayed smoothly, allowing the viewer to think for themselves and make up their own mind without going overboard on the conspiracy element. Whatever your views on whether or not this side of the plot is fictional, it's a film worth watching. The only difference between 'worth watching' and 'great film' is just a matter of budget and time really.

I actually had this film and another British 'grit' film - a Jason Statham film- 'Blitz' at the same time. I knew a little about The Veteran and and just didn't feel like watching it since I assumed it was going to be dark. It is that. However, when I actually got my finger out and started playing it- it really grabbed me by the manhood within seconds. Literally. Yes this is a heavy film, but is it something you want to watch? Yes. Is it entertaining, very- it has intrigue, drama and action. The human element of the main character is portrayed excellently by Toby Kebbell who I had seen some months earlier in the Guy Ritchie gangsta powerflick 'RocknRolla'.

I think it's useful to actually bring up Ritchie here, due to its links with Kebbell- and for that matter Statham's 'Blitz' which is a form of dark Ritchie film actually. What they all have in common is the grim underbelly of London and the disturbed inwards of British society. Unlike Ritchie's MTV approach, The Veteran has a hugh scope- a true comment on modern society, civilisation, morality... I could go on... REALLY heavy subjects which are explored with the vigour of a novel. In fact, this film would have probably been better as a novel- some of the labyrinthine plot does not take on first viewing, but I saw that as indicative of the confused state of morals, politics, loyalty and judgements that the film centres on. In this respect Kebbell's hard but traumatised soldier is a great piece of acting and a fantastic vehicle for a mixture of action/thriller entertainment and social commentary.

The conflicting opinions about the movie Blitz are typical of the state British cinema finds itself in right now. On one hand you have the type of Lock, Stock Brad Pitt 'ultraviolence' and crime-glorification popcorn for the Hollywood market. The Transporter, Crank and so on are also in the same vein you could argue- pretty soulless Statham nonsense. Blitz as a film is halfway between that and this. And what is this?

Well, it is the other hand. Something British cinema can actually be proud of, it has depth. It does not wallow in 'cool' Tarantino style violence and gore- instead it uses ultra-realistic action scenes (helped by the military/espionage storyline) to get into the heart of the British (read 'western') battlefield of crime, corruption, terrorism... and well, watch it and find out. In many ways, you might almost class this as a post-apocalyptic film, it echoes 1984 and generic Orwellian dystopia. Man up and watch it, give it just minutes and you'll be hooked.

Whether this type of film or the Ritchie style will gain control over Britain's cinematic soul remains to be seen.

Saw this with my girl today and enjoyed it very much. It's nothing great by any means, but it's a good little film. Toby Kebbell plays a soldier back from Afghanistan, who soon finds himself in another war, this time on his home turf. The film switches between a plot involving terrorism and a plot involving violent gangs on the estate. Both are interesting to watch and both eventually collide. The plot is something we've seen hundred's of times over but that's not to say this isn't well made. Kebbell is very good in the lead role and can certainly carry a film. The supporting actors perform well enough too but nowhere near Kebbell's standards. The gun-heavy climax is gritty and well done, if you don't take it too seriously of course. Me and the missus were the only ones in the cinema, so I'm guessing this will probably die a death while it's on the big screen. Overall a violent, over-the-top but entertaining Brit flick, not to be taken seriously but not to be ignored. ***/*****

I came out of the British army a few years ago as did some of my 9 Sqn Para friends.

They went down the same route this film depicts in London, and I remember vividly a conversation I had with one in a dirty kebab shop in London where I was trying to give the argument against kidnapping a guy for payment. It was all covert and for a ex-officer and for good payment.

They had meetings by the disused East End docks before it was all built up. I felt that they were being set up but they wanted to get the 'buzz' of combat back again, tired of the dreary civvy life.

This film was like stepping into their lives. It was so realistic. They even had the radio talk that we use off to pat. The cleaning of the guns, the professional way that they carried out their work... all TOO real. This was written by someone who has done this, take my word for it.

As for other reviewers saying it was unrealistic well even as a lowly Sapper I carried out stake outs in London, all sneaky beaky stuff. It is what we ex-military do when we get out. If we are lucky we get a break and get out of it. This guy, like some of my dead friends, didn't.

Hate the ending but love it because of that. A Hollywood version would have to have a touchy-feely tree-hugging nice ending.

If you like European films because of their realism then you will love this! The Das Boot of retired British military films.

Overall it was a good film albeit slightly confusing at times. The main character is very likable. There seems to be one plot which is advertised - the council estate plot, and the terrorist plot. The film would have been better if it stuck to one of the plots. The lady informant character remains unresolved. I believe it could have been quite similar to Harry Brown if done well. The terrorist part of the film was a bit confusing with too many twists to keep anybody truly interested. I believe if this part had been developed it could have been similar to an American blockbuster film which would usually star Matt Damon. The main character's performance is very strong and the reactions are more realistic and believable than in most action scenes. It was a nice touch to see someone actually reload in a movie. It is still watch able but it could have been a lot better.

At the end of 2008's 'The Hurt Locker', an ex-soldier struggles to choose which type of cereal to buy. Accustomed to life-or-death situations, he is incapable of such a trivial decision. It's a brief scene, but it perfectly captures the difficulty of adapting to civilian life after the horrors of active duty. This is precisely the kind of vibe that 'The Veteran' aims for, but misses entirely.

Robert Miller (Toby Kebbell) has just returned from Afghanistan. Unable to get a job and still haunted by his experiences of war, he feels like an outsider. He suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which makes it even more difficult for him to adjust.

On its own, this would have been enough, but there's more: Miller starts monitoring suspected terrorists for the government, and uncovers some kind of conspiracy. Meanwhile, a local gang starts terrorising his council estate, so he has to deal with that as well. So now there's espionage conspiracy and social commentary.

Miller's psychological problems present an interesting examination into the effects of war, but there isn't enough of it. Any credibility that builds up is shattered every time the story wanders elsewhere. Just as viewers get a glimpse into Robert Miller's psyche, the film jumps away into 'Spooks' mode – shot after shot of people in cars, watching or following or driving past each other, seemingly without reason or consequence.

Then there is the council estate storyline. The handful of scenes featuring hoodies and poor grammar fail to mask a lazy attempt at trying to make the film gritty and realistic. Of course there are places and situations just like the council estate portrayed, but there is nowhere near enough development to make viewers actually care about these people and their 'hood. Without actually stopping to examine the social issues implied, the inclusion of these scenes is an exercise in time-wasting.

The problem with 'The Veteran' is that it lacks focus. Indecisively jumping all over the place between different genres and irrelevant plot lines, the film has a scatter-gun approach that doesn't hit any of its targets. The narrative just ends up feeling disjointed, which allows very little emotional investment. It is hard to understand what is going, but even harder to care about it.

The action is another thing that's indecisive. There is initially very little action, and when there is some violence, it comes in short bursts. It is effective, and clearly meant to contrast the gun-pornography in American films. Then the film changes gear and gives Miller a machine gun. With no clear sense of identity, the film is as confusing as it is frustrating.

There are hints of things that could have made this a good film had the filmmakers not tried so hard to be clever. The surveillance sections occasionally present an effective bit of tension. Toby Kebbell does a good job essentially driving the film by himself, playing Miller with a constant restlessness that makes him seem genuinely uneasy.

None of this, however, will save this film from the bargain bin at your local petrol station. What starts off as a believable, gritty portrayal of a man's plight rapidly descends into incoherent tedium. 'The Veteran' spins too many plates, and ultimately ends up dropping them.

At the beginning you hear distant voices of soldiers calling out orders and I started hoping it wouldn't be another Iraqi/Afghan war movie. And it wasn't! It's a movie with a really interesting urban plot (in this case, London). If you liked The Bourne Identity coupled with anti-terrorism and gang violence, then you will love this movie. Nothing about it is over-the-top or over-done (something which I always criticise whenever I watch a US movie). The main actor Miller (Toby Kebbell) is cold, composed and knows what how to handle combat situations. The ending was so good, I thought "i think they got Gamer (2009) beat." It's got all the bullets and bloodshed you'd ever want from a one-man mass shooting. However it goes beyond that for me. I hate Estates in the UK. They are a symbol of rot, drugs, teenage violence and guns. If I had a few hours to live, I'd probably do exactly what Miller did towards the end - clean up time!

This is one of those instances when I approached a film with the IMDb score lodged at the front of my brain, blinking like a huge red warning light trying to stop from proceeding any further. 'This is going to be distinctly average,' I thought to myself as I sat down. And to be fair, it was distinctly average. For the first 120 seconds.

The rest is something quite different and is really a vehicle for a remarkable performance by Toby Kebbell.

I won't bother with plot or spoilers. Neither will ultimately help you decide whether you'll enjoy this film and, indeed, may very well spoil it. It's better to perhaps describe where 'The Veteran' fits within its genre. From my vantage point, it was a beautifully underplayed espionage film of that kind which fell out of favour somewhere in the 1960s. It's not as convoluted as the world of John le Carré thrillers and 'The Veteran's cod-New World Order philosophising probably doesn't bear close scrutiny. In many respects it reminded me of the better Harry Palmer films though played out in that kind of world that Michael Caine recently visited in the equally gritty (though morally more questionable) 'Harry Brown'. I hesitate to say that this is a better film than 'Harry Brown' (though my instinct immediately after watching it is to say that it is). The violence is fast, brutal, and utterly mundane and perhaps explains why it reminded me of that Mel Giblson minor classic, 'Payback'. It shares many of the same shades as that film, where characters live in that grey area between good and evil.

That, I suppose, characterises many of the very best spy films and for this reason 'The Veteran' is a film that is bound to split both the audience and the critics. Perhaps for that reason I'm marking it a little too generously but I can't help that. This is for those of us who like our spy thrillers bruised, battered, and full of unsettling ambiguity.

I also agree that the British seem do this genre well. The principal actor did a fine job a very good job..earned every dollar. Another character's premises that the war on terrorism is all about GOD (guns,oil and drugs), used to keep people in control and in fear for economic reasons, is most likely, reality. Yet what I found most interesting was how how accurately the movie depicts the real present day London as an extremely somber, soul-sucking urban far-scape.. IMHO, it all sucks; the food, the atmosphere, everything..Woof. Sorry! And this treatment certainly rams that home. The shootout at the climax was a chilling, honestly portrayed rendition of violence, spot on... I found it to be a sad, uncomfortable, yet thought provoking and extremely entertaining movie. Job well done!

Knowing a little about the worlds portrayed in this film (war and espionage), I can safely say that yes though the plot is a bit too flexible and yes a pretty unrealistic urban warfare ending against scum hoodies with guns (in real life they'd just have pathetic little knifes and pathetic little attitudes so would never stick around to have the soldier take it to them) - this film is well worth watching.

I'm not going to say anymore, just watch it!

NB OK, so I wasn't going to say anymore except that I have to have 10 lines of review text. This film is deeper than most of the "expert" reviewers from papers like the Guardian give it credit for. Watch it and see if you can pick out the messages it is trying to get across. Much more than the Guardian seem to think - but then again I don't suppose Guardian journalists get out that much. That should do!

Watched this film today and thoroughly enjoyed it. The camera scenes have been thought through for maximum effect. The feel of the whole film is gritty and fast moving. The scene which overlooks Canary Wharf is a new one on me ,it compares old and new London architecture in one scene. I have been to the Heygate estate and think this film thoroughly captures every essence of the area. The film is fast moving and nothing is overdone but is all conducive to the final scene. A Great British Urban Piece along the same lines of Harry Brown which i think was filmed on the same estate but from watching the two you can appreciate the different views of each director.

By far the best action movie I have seen in years. The story jumbles a bit but the acting is A1.this story definitely digs deeper then just boom sticks, Only one scene does the shoulder mount (i am assuming) get twitchy.The cast plays excellently with each other and the lead actors representation of p.t.s.d. is well done and not over played.the cinematographers/directors creation of an almost Dystopic present day was masterful. Well played and I have a feeling I will be following those involved for some time to come. Resisting the monopolized world of large effects c.g.i. and over the top action sequences this feature pulls you directly into the soldier, resisting action because its necessary until it boils over. I found myself begging the hero to be cool and not bite then at other times to attack with out mercy and the director seemed to carry us along on a more emotionally realistic battle of the personal experience. There are a few lacking or uncomfortable bits in here with dialogue being a touch to muddled or suppressed and the odd bad angle but these cracks by my opinion only added an authenticity to the style they were driving for.

OK so here's the second movie in the last few weeks that has awoken my ire. I really liked the acting, photography, transitions, and our hero. However I hated that fact that...

(START SPOILER) First off our hero is too easy to sneak up on. It doesn't match the professional character portrayed elsewhere in the film, nor does it match the reality of an experienced soldier's training and reflexes. Our hero is supposed to be a veteran, but people, one of them a little kid, sneak up on him 3 times. He's also caught off guard once, leading to his capture. Oh and our so-called vet is a complete idiot. He listens to Cox's character at the end and goes off on a one man war against the gang, but they don't have the girl like he was told. Cox told him that to ensure he could not rescue the girl. He wanted to send our hero off to his death. But the director/producer/writer aren't done enraging us, nooo. Next the vet wades through the gang, only to get shot from behind in the side of the neck by an twelve year old punk and conveniently he's out of ammo, so the kid is able to come up and shoot him in the head. He never rescues the girl, never gets proper revenge, its another, "bad guys win, lets make a great movie with a great story and great characters but give it a tragic, artsy ending" (END SPOILER).

I really wish people would stop making this garbage because there is nobody on earth who can honestly say they like it. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this, unless you enjoy being really, really annoyed!

For the Swedish audience, read this page first:

http://perkvist.mpbloggar.se/category/opium/

It is written already 2002 after the attack on Afghanistan. This movie confirms that my thesis is correct. Unfortunately no one has come to help me translate it.

The film has two main spots where the truth is clearly outspoken, and it tells us the why and the how about why terrorism exists and what forces are behind them. Do not forget that the name AlQuaida is arabic for "The List" meaning the payroll that the British foreign intelligence MI6 had to pay off various assets in the Mujahedin movement during the war against the Soviets. A politician that revealed those facts, died mysteriously, it was the foreign minister at the time, Robin Cook. Heart attacks is the most common murder method of MI6. The Imperial secret agency of Great Britain. Britain is behind it all, and USA is their puppet, delivering soldiers and weapons. Soldiers that trade education opportunities against risking their lives. Diskusting it is. But true. See the film, and get the rest of the facts. It is worth it, you're to be educated.

The cinematography was fine, I actually like the fact that they made everything realistic. The only thing that is unlikable in this movie was the storyline mashed-up. There are things that are uncertain, there are things that are not clear or lacking of foundation.

There was two main story that was mashed up in this story. First is the part where the main actor is dealing with the drug dealers, and second is the part where the main actor acquired a job as from another party.

These could have been a better movie if the two main story was related to each other.

Mystery unsolved about the girl.

Toby Kebbell that is. A powerhouse performance by a guy you might not have taken notice up until now. But if you watch this, you will at least remember his face (with time and maybe some luck on his part, concerning movie roles, maybe even his name). While the movie has its flaws his performance doesn't have any.

As you can tell by the rating (R), it does not pull any punches or anything else. You don't have to be too careful to follow the story, but it does take a certain level of commitment to stay with it until the end. Our main protagonist is an anti hero. And yet, while he doesn't want to be in the top spot, he never shies away from responsibility. Or "doing the right thing."

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Miller (Toby Kebbell) returns home from war to the council estate he lives in, but finds it in the grip of a crime wave, perpetrated by young boys under the influence of local villain Tyrone (Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas.) Struggling to re-adjust to civilian life, he is offered a job by an old army pal to execute a government operation, headed by Gerry (Brian Cox) to take out a terrorist cell. But as he delves deeper into his mission, he finds trust may be a virtue that could cost his life.

One of the excerpts of favourable reviews printed on the back cover of The Veteran (I'm sure it was from Empire Magazine) hails it as 'Harry Brown has some competition.' While it does deal with a man standing up to crime on a troubled estate, this manages to be as much of a sub plot as the part where he takes on the government operation, and while both parts have promise, together they throw the film off course a bit, making things a bit jumbled and incoherent. A shame, since as an action film, it is quite well made, slick and stylish enough and with a tighter, more effective script than you might expect from such an obviously low budget work. Best remembered as the eccentric musical genius from RocknRolla, in the lead role Kebbell melds well into the action hero role, while as the most high profile member of the cast Cox has as much presence as ever, delivering his all even to a more minor role.

This is an ambitious, fairly effective but sadly sort of misguided effort, that does more than you expect but can't quite cover over the cracks. ***

Someone wrote, quote: "I new nothing about this film before seeing it and had no expectations whatsoever. As it started I feared it would be a re-trodden path of the ex-soldier having a hard time readjusting and dealing with depression, which in a way it was. However, the story soon split into several subplots, raising my level of interest and intrigue, before building into a crescendo of a well acted and nicely, gritty shot espionage film.

I read the review by Ced Yuen, and I'm a little surprised someone would try to dismantle this film and attack it's exaggeration of reality in terms of how a returning soldier would react and how non-realistic the ensuing action was. This film is pure entertainment, with a gritty, sue-do- realism that is obviously from the mind of a writer who intended to entertain with an interesting and exciting story. It's not supposed to be a documentary of great insight into the mind of a war veteran.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and recommend it if you are in the mood for something different, yet very entertaining, with a nice mix of genre that you would not usually come across. "

• totally agree, very bright and a good movie.

"There are over 2,000 terrorists operating in the U.K. alone and that number is increasing daily." Miller's (Kebbell) army enlistment is over and he is not sure of what he wants to do. When he meets a group headed by Gerry (Cox) he finds his niche. Along with his new found friends he begins to hunt down and eliminate terrorists and a local gang of drug dealers. Having seen many of the recent war movies in the last few years I went in expecting to see long and boring (like 90% of the others). I was very surprised by this one. While not an amazing movie by any stretch this is a very good movie that is comparable in many ways to "Munich". A small group hunts down and tries to eliminate the bad guys one by one. Saying that pretty much sums up what the movie is about and while the acting is not great it is still very much worth watching and better then 90% of the movies that have been like this recently. Overall, a surprisingly good movie that deserves to be watched. I give it a B.

The ending was perfect. This IS the definition of a Greek tragedy. I haven't seen a movie like this in a very long time. At least, a movie that didn't suffer from a hero complex, as do most action movies tend to propagate.

A man conditioned to kill for his country, then finds out the truth as to what his country/corporation uses him for. Tries to right the wrongs that would have ultimately stayed with him for the rest of his life. Knowing that, in the end, he is just one man. One man who did everything in his power to stop the injustices that he perpetuated wittingly and unwittingly.

This is why in a twenty-four hour cycle, twenty-four United States Incorporated soldier's take their own life. They know what they do is wrong, yet haven't the understanding as to why, as to what purpose their actions serve. The only difference here is, Bobby caught a glimpse of the truth. Acting accordingly, and truthfully, to himself.

"Fix reason firmly within her seat. Bring to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Boldly question even the existence of God. For if there be one, he must pay homage to that of truth, than of blindfolded fear." -Thomas Jefferson