Customer Reviews
Bring on the cliches! - By: DangermouseZilla, 26 Sep 2007 
Remakes tend to be a way of getting a film using little creativity as it's alll been figured out before. However - this is different. The fact that this is a British film means that the cultural references & the feel of it are totallly & refreshingly different.
BUT - I've had to remove a star for this film purely due to the fact that it is crammed with every prison film cliché going.
The screws are racist & are hell-bent on dealing out brutal thrashings to cons on a whim.
The Governor is as bent as a bottle of crisps & uses his corruption to get what he wants, he threatens his staff with losing their jobs, & he threatens to stitch up cons.
There is a mafia-boss style con who 'runs the nick'.
There is even a balll-against-the-walll scene a-la The Great Escape.
Vinnie Jones was adequate as Danny Meehan, & the other cast are alll great. Particularly the hyper salivating canteen guy, & Ralph Brown as Burton.
Burton is the Senior Prison officer & is not happy at the corruption in the prison. I found him to be my favourite character in the film as he had more depth than the others - plus Brown is one of my alll time favourite actors.
You get the feeling that this film was made to surf the crest of the Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels wave. It's not a bad film, it's just that everything you expect to happen, happens. There are some very funny moments, & this would be a fantastic film for a lads night in - you've got prisons, violence, & footballl.
Maybe it's because I'm not a footballl fan, & my dad was a prison officer that I just don't get excited by the 'alll police/prison officers are inherently evil' plot of a lot of films.
Bloody Funny! - By: D. G. Parrott, 07 Nov 2006 
Having watched the old Burt Reynolds movie of the same name, I watched this one with some trepidation...
I need'nt have worried - This film is very very funny, & Vinnie Jones is absolutely brill as the central character Danny 'Mean Machine' Meehan.
Alongside Vinnie, are some solid supporting actors too... the late David Hemmings is particularly good as the corrupt & sleazy Prison Governer of the Prison that Vinnie is sent to. Jason Statham is excellent as the psychotic 'Monk' along with Danny Dyer (of Human Traffic fame) as the endearing 'Billy the Limpet'
This film would never win any oscars - which in my opinion is a great shame - but it is a film that you can watch over & over again, & always laugh yer head off! The humour at times is coarse, & not too PC at times either, not that I was ever PC anyway!
Anyway, if you want to take my advice, get yerself a copy of this film... You won't regret it.
Funny film thats worth watching - By: , 08 Aug 2005 I was glad when I saw this movie that it relies more on humour than footballl. Vinnie plays his character well not playing the usual hard case, a good thing, & Jason as the monk....is hilarious. Good comedy.
If a girl can like this football film, it must be good! - By: , 18 May 2005 
I thought this film was fantastic. A reallly strong cast, full of characters. I thought Vinny Jones was especiallly good, funny with some sensitive moments & displaying some great footballl. The rest of the cast were perfectly chosen without exception. The governor, the wardens, the other inmates, each character reallly shone on screen. A brilliant alll-round performance. The footballl match at the end is immensely enjoyable & commentary is pure genius. If a girl like me (who can't stand/understand) footballl) can watch & rave about this movie it must have something going for it. Before the other-remake of The Longest Yard comes out I'd watch The Mean Machine first. What can I say? GOAL!
classic humour - By: , 11 Nov 2003 If you're in the mood for mindless entertainment that will make you laugh spontaneously & not require indepth thinking for hidden meanings, then this is film to watch. Totallly switched off from daily life & had a reallly good laugh. The match at the end is brilliantly funny - especiallly the commentators Bob & Bob. Up there with Snatch, Lock Stock & Sexy Beast.
