One of the better Australian movies to emanate from the 90's stars Russell Crowe before home-wrecking, hotel telephones and Oscars as an aggressive skinhead (Hando) whose relationship with best friend Daniel Pollock (Davy) sours over the ever-escalating brand of racism he practices, and the presence of Jacqueline Mackenzie's character with whom both are involved - Crowe's neglect paves the way for Pollock's advances and so the rivalry emerges.

Apart from Crowe (who is essentially monotone in-character) and Mackenzie as a misguided rich kid rebelling in the extreme, only Sam Wyllie is recognisable as one of the motley crew. Though Pollock could have potentially become a recognisable actor, tragically his life ended prematurely shortly following this film.

Generally, like a great many Australian pictures, "Romper Stomper" is edgy and raw, and the content of the film is fairly uncompromising in its violent and sometimes graphic detail (read nudity). This all bodes well if you're comfortable with the subject matter as you shouldn't be disappointed.

Romper Stomper is enjoying renewed interest due to the current fame of its star, Russell Crowe, but the movie stands on its own regardless.

Crowe plays the leader of a violent group of racist skinheads, who are upset over Vietnamese immigrants in their neighborhood. There are quite a few clashes, a love story, and betrayal all wrapped up in a disturbing package.

While watching Romper Stomper I found myself sympathizing with at least one of the racist characters, even though my views are far from his -- it's just that well written and acted.

There aren't a lot of surprise in this film, but the surprises that exist are truly interesting and plausible. This does not mean that the movie is cliche and boring, though -- it presents its ideas in an interesting fashion with well-written and directed acting.

Seeing Russell Crowe's name in the cast, I thought it might have been a throw away role for him in a picture like this. However he's surprisingly good as an Australian neo-Nazi skinhead leading his band of thugs against any and all Vietnamese immigrants in violation of his protected territory. His whole gang snaps when the local Railway Hotel owner sells his business and saloon to the Asians, and the story results in an escalating series of retaliations of one ethnic group against the other. The story is not for the squeamish, as there's violence galore, though surprisingly little blood for the kind of brutality you get to see on screen. There's a twisted subtext going on with the presence of Aussie girl 'Gabe' (Jacqueline McKenzie), who's relationship with her father carries a subtle but sordid past, which helps explain how she's deviated from the right side of the tracks to join the skinhead bunch. The picture is punctuated by a riveting musical score right from the outset, and it's a tough picture to avert your eyes from once it gets going, violence notwithstanding. No happy endings here, as relationships are shattered and lives are casually dismissed as irrelevant in a culture that has little value for human life.