It was a bad start when kids playing football are doing CR7 goal celebrations in what is ment to be the 70s. Moving through the film the was no thought to generational props. Smart phones and cars with 2022 reg plates in what should have been the 90s early 00s. I'm sure they could have pushed to boat out and got a Nokia 3210.

For me the only redeeming features were.

The lad that played John. I thought he played the part well.

And the final arrest scene I quite liked how it goes back to the childhood scenes.

Other than that it was very week acting there are plenty of north east actors that could of been cast to make this a more believable and well rounded film.

In terms of British gangster films this has got to be 1 of the worst. Which is disappointing as all the books written about the northeast gangland in this era are very good.

Richard John Taylor is a prolific filmmaker of modestly budgeted films that seem to veer between gangster yarns and horror stories. They're a mixed bag. That is to say, some I like, some I don't so much.

Despite an arresting beginning, 'A New Breed of Criminal' is a bit of a mess; Steve Wraith's story sprawls over its 88 minutes running time. It's as if the project was filmed in chunks whenever actors became available, and veteran TV hardman Nicholas Ball has been drafted in to narrate throughout, in a bid to tie the many plot strands together.

Events just roll on and on and ... lots of swearing, mixed acting, interesting direction, but no drama, a distinct lack of pace and too many characters and loose ends. My score is 4 out of 10.

Why do script writers always try to find excuses for hardened criminals. This film tells the story of some very nasty people and excuses their behaviour by focussing on their hard upbringing and environment. Trouble is, it doesn't tell the story very well. The acting is average at best with the exception of the wonderful Nicholas Ball. The prize for the worst acting goes to the actor playing Detective Scott. He uses the strangest attempt at an American accent I have ever heard but why attempt it in the first place. He is from Newcastle playing a Newcastle detective. Did I miss something. Is he supposed to be on secondment from the NYPD? Was the explainer cut? As for the rest of the story it just glosses over these real life criminals making them out to be some sort of urban heroes. They are not.