A pretty enjoyable remake of the 80s TV film. This version differs from the original in a number of ways but still retains many of the most memorable scenes.Where as the original placed almost all the emphasis on Bex (the top boy in "The Firm") and his rivalry with Yeti (his nemesis and leader of a rival firm), in this version,although the rivalry between Bex and Yeti is still there, there is more emphasis placed on the rites of passage into the firm of Dom, a young lad from a down at heel estate.
As Bex becomes more obsessed (and unhinged) with his need to fulfill what he sees as his destiny as top boy in a combined English firm,to follow the England national team into Europe, realisation dawns on Dom that the buzz and the clobber cannot compensate for feeling bullied, afraid and to some extent, betrayed.
The original suffers in comparison when you look at the attention to detail in this newer version. The clothes in particular in this version are a very accurate refelection of what was predominant at the time on the terraces -some of the Fila,Tacchini and Diadora etc, gear worn in the film still can't be beaten when it comes to football fashion.
In some ways (although obviously impossible) it's a shame that we could not have a hybrid of the old and the new version. Gary Oldman was excellent as Bex in the original for example but as already touched on, the clothes worn in the original, were rubbish (the new version took advice from a specialist 80s casual clothing website for authenticity).
This is not a tale that anyone could argue glorifies violence and fighting at football, the repercussions (both potential and real) on family and self of being involved are well explored in the many darker moments of the film(although there are some pretty funny moments as well and it certainly scores on the nostalgia front).
All in all, a pretty good remake, the clobber is great, the music is thumping but as the previous reviewer has pointed out some of the dialogue is a bit iffy.
Very enjoyable but probablly not a 100% "classic" British film.