This movie is extremely dark and explores themes of paedophilia, abuse, drug use, prostitution and organised crime. There is a core story about a man called Marley working for an organised crime boss called Brendan who regretfully kills a female drug addict called Ana partly in self defence and this action is witnessed by the woman's young daughter. After 7 years in prison in which Marley becomes psychotic seeing Ana the woman he killed constantly, Marley is released and the true back story is revealed. Marley himself was taken from his drug addict mother who later died from a drug overdose by the OC boss and physically / sexually abused. Marley uncovers that vulnerable children are being taken from care when they turn 16 and homeless children are being snatched up from the streets and sold to paedophiles. One sick paedophile is Brendan's brother who keeps his victims in a cage and rapes and murders them. It has some very disturbing scenes in this movie. At one point Brendan cuts Marley across his buttocks with scarring visible from a previous cutting. The whole film is shot in Birmingham and at one point a body is thrown into a canal in a suitcase. This happened to a friend of mines brother so it hit a raw nerve. Not a film to be watched by the faint of heart. This could all be happening at the present time so it makes the movie more disturbing.

While heisting a house, the criminal Marley Dean Jacobs (Frederick Schmidt) kills Ana (Ana Ularu) in her room in front of her nine-year-old daughter Kristine Vaduva (Lara Peake). He shows remorse in the court and is sentenced to seven years in prison. Along these years, he is haunted by his guilt in the form of the ghost of Ana. When he is released, he looks for Kristine and learns that she was adopted by the brother of his foster father Brendan Doyle (John Hannah), who is a gangster. When the sixteen-year-old Kristine flees from her foster home, Brendan's brother Jimmy Doyle (Struan Rodger) asks Marley to find her and bring her home. But Marley learns dark secrets about his foster family and decides to track Kristine down to save her and find redemption.

"The Marker" is a gritty and unpleasant thriller about a gangster feeling guilt of the accidental murder of a mother by an act of reflex in self-defense, slicing her throat in front of her daughter. The story is violent, including child abuse, but the slow-paced developing of the plot is boring in some moments for a thriller. The conclusion is perfect for the story. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Mercenário" ("Mercenary")

If you're sort of person who watches a movie and rates it as one star because it's depressing, then you're clearly watching the wrong films for your timid mind -you might want to get a Disney movie next time.

This is a well acted and well plotted movie, and yes it has many depressing elements, but this certainly doesn't detract from the fact that it's a fine movie. The acting is fist class, and the depths of the underworld it describes and delves into appear realistic and grim.

Good camera work and seedy locations are all spot on.

Roll on redemption to those that need it however it comes.