Tower Block (spoilers)

BlizzardUKBlizzardUK Posts: 4,965
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Just saw the 2012 British movie called Tower Block. At first I was really impressed and liked it, but what in the world was the ending all about ? I know with movies you have to suspend your disbelief, but some of the things were ridiculous.

Anyone else seen it ? I know the copper was the sniper, but why kill all those people when he is just paid to do a job ? Why would he care if people grass or not ? It wasn't even the dead boys family, just a copper. Also they had masks, what could the beaten up girl have said anyway ? Not only this, but he kills the developer and his assistant who weren't even living there. Then he appears on the ground by them when supposedly he was up in a room in the opposite flats many metres away, he got there damn quick.

Also what would stop people living normally but with curtains closed ? They could live for days or weeks with all the food there, they have toilets, drink, and so on. Also how about using the fire door they knocked off as a shield, just stick a handle to the inside of it, job done.

When the curtains were opened the bullet hit within a millisecond, so we are meant to believe he was scouting every window at the same time ?

Also why were the two blokes, who earlier kicked a man to death, scared shitless of a skinny chav on his own ?

What did you think of it if you saw it ?

Comments

  • TributeTribute Posts: 820
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    I saw this a few months ago and thought it was an enjoyable way to pass 90 minutes. When the first 'thing' happened, was probably the most I've ever jumped when watching a film, was not expecting it!

    I do think Jack O'Connell's acting was laughably bad at times. Instead of emoting, he resorted to a strange gurn quite regularly. Surprised to see how well his career appears to be going, good luck to him though.
  • carefree_bluecarefree_blue Posts: 8,961
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    I guessed the copper would turn out to be the sniper despite the tenuous motive. Just couldn't see it being someone who hadn't appeared on screen before. An enjoyable movie all the same, but I agree there's various things that seemed improbable especially with only one person behind it.

    When Russell Tovey's character was climbing down the building using the fire hoses that had been tied together wasn't he supposed to be going down the back of it? Yet the sniper was facing the front but somehow had the back covered too?
    BlizzardUK wrote: »
    Also why were the two blokes, who earlier kicked a man to death, scared shitless of a skinny chav on his own ?

    Also why was the older bloke allowing the chav to extort money from him when he was quite clearly capable of kicking seven shades of sh*t out of him, as he later demonstrated?
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    BlizzardUK wrote: »
    It wasn't even the dead boys family, just a copper.

    There was a mention that they were cousins and he had been keeping an eye on the boy "like a brother" almost all his life. This mention was edited out. While I understand their decision (which was probably done to prevent us viewers from suspecting him as the sniper), I still think they could find a way round that. Still, it was obvious it was him all along. Why else was he there in the beginning? Chekhov's gun, remember? :D
    Also why were the two blokes, who earlier kicked a man to death, scared shitless of a skinny chav on his own ?

    They didn't kick a man to death. They kicked a scared boy to death. As for the chav, he was a local drug dealer and turfster (protection racketeer). Those guys were his lackeys. They were supposed to scare the boy into paying up the money he owed, but they went too far. They hid this from him until then. They obviously knew and expected he would go ballistic enough to put their lives in danger (which suggests he had killed other people in the past) and they were right.

    In any case, I don't think the film is meant to be realistic. Thriller films are rarely realistic. I tend to ignore plot holes when I watch this type.

    For example: a typical tower block of that design is usually divided into two blocks - north and south, right? There are usually two adjoined staircases - one for north and one for south - and a fire exit in a wall between them on every (I think) third level, from top to bottom.

    When it became clear the sniper was facing the south block of the tower, what stops those south-block residents from going through the fire exit towards the north staircase? They could make their way down the north staircase without getting shot as there's a concrete wall between them and the sniper, and depart through the north-block exit.

    If the sniper had the foresight to cover that, then there's nothing to stop them from breaking into a ground-floor flat in the north block and climb out of a window. I don't know why they didn't realise this when they were in that corridor (where the lift was), which would take them into the north block. Odd.

    Those oversights didn't distract me from enjoying the film. It is what it is; a mildly entertaining thriller. :D
    When Russell Tovey's character was climbing down the building using the fire hoses that had been tied together wasn't he supposed to be going down the back of it? Yet the sniper was facing the front but somehow had the back covered too?

    He was still in the front, shooting at the hose on edge of the back wall (where Tovey was trying to climb down on). And he successfully shot the hose apart, causing Tovey to fall. He wasn't shooting at him at all.
    Also why was the older bloke allowing the chav to extort money from him when he was quite clearly capable of kicking seven shades of sh*t out of him, as he later demonstrated?

    While I agree, I have an impression he did it for his wife. What would that guy do to his wife when he isn't around? He couldn't risk that chance, I suppose?
  • clownieclownie Posts: 52
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    Actually the bit where the cop reveals his relationship to the boy was supposed to be at the end according to writer James Moran. Plus all windows (at least in this tower block) were on the front and the only ones at the back are tiny and a person couldn't fit through them.
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    clownie wrote: »
    Actually the bit where the cop reveals his relationship to the boy was supposed to be at the end according to writer James Moran.

    ? I didn't know when the mention was supposed to show up, so I'm not sure what you mean?

    Oh, were you referring to my comment about the beginning/Chevkov's gun? If a character seems significant at the start but doesn't appear in the main story, there is a good chance that he or she will play a role in the end, usually as a heroic figure who sacrifices own life to save the others, or as a villainous figure. Since the sniper was anonymous, it didn't take much to guess which figure he'd become. :D
    Plus all windows (at least in this tower block) were on the front and the only ones at the back are tiny and a person couldn't fit through them.

    I was referring to the 'front-facing' windows of the north block. The north and south blocks are a mirror reflection of each other, with a gap - or rather, a depressing concrete courtyard - in between the north and south blocks. As with most towers of that type, there is usually a west- or east-facing connecting building between north and south blocks. They could force their way through a connecting corridor towards the north block. All that said, I was actually fine with characters not knowing. I would probably be busy with crapping myself whilst huddling in a corner if it happens in real life.

    It was quite fantastic to see a tower of that 1960s build still standing in the film, actually. Most have been demolished during the 1980s and the 1990s, leaving only two surviving today. Ugly as hell, but so part of London's landscape.
  • clownieclownie Posts: 52
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    Well if I read your comment right you suggest they cut the line about them being cousins to stop us guessing the cop was the sniper. In order for that scenario to work the cop would have to announce he was the boys cousin early on in the film but my understanding is that the line was to appear once he had already been unmasked at the end.

    I'm not that well up on tower block structures so I apologise I misunderstood you. my understanding is that the cop had the windows and doors covered on front and the windows were too small at the back and there was a skip at the back door. I wasn't aware of any other means of exit
  • gerry dgerry d Posts: 12,518
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    I watched this on Netflix a few months back.I thought it was an alright film but i agree about the ending being abit of a let down.I also agree about the first sniper killing,it made me jump.
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    clownie wrote: »
    Well if I read your comment right you suggest they cut the line about them being cousins to stop us guessing the cop was the sniper. In order for that scenario to work the cop would have to announce he was the boys cousin early on in the film but my understanding is that the line was to appear once he had already been unmasked at the end.

    Oh, I see! Yes, you're right. I did suggest it was edited out to prevent us from guessing. I should have re-read my own comment before making that response. Apologies. :o
    I'm not that well up on tower block structures so I apologise I misunderstood you. my understanding is that the cop had the windows and doors covered on front and the windows were too small at the back and there was a skip at the back door. I wasn't aware of any other means of exit

    Yes, that's right. A tower of that design is usually in shape of 'U' and the film focuses on just one block of the U build. Perhaps there was a scene showing the connection block was blocked, but deleted from the film.
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