Sexy Beast: Villains and Anti-heroes are fun to watch sometimes.

I had heard about Ben Kingsley performance in this, and after hearing one reviewer describe him as the Anti-Gandhi in this, I knew I had to see it. It's a talky, dangerous film, where morality has the thinnest of skins, and like a train wreck, you know it's going to be horrific, but you watch anyway.

That's this film in a single sentence.

Met Gal (Ray Winstone). He's 'retired,' living a quiet life on the beaches of Spain, soaking up the sun and developing a crisp, pre-cancerous glow to his skin. That's where we see him in the opening shot, lounging at the side of his pool, his mind conjuring up all of the adjectives that describe his life. In a word, it's fabulous.

Until a boulder comes crashing down from the cliffs above and smashes a great big hole in the swimming pool, and narrowly missing turning our hero into a greasy spot on the concrete. That's the least of Gal's troubles in fact, there's more on the way. And not just for Gal, it's going to tear his cozy family apart, especially his wife, DeeDee (Amanda Redman) and his son.

Over dinner with another couple, he finds that an old acquaintance from the life before Spain has called. Jackie (Julianne White) and her husband, Aitch (Cavan Kendall) are frankly terrified, and confide in whispers that Logan is going to want Gal on a job in London.

And Gal says no. He's not coming out of retirement, not for another heist. He's done his thing, and he's earned his retirement.

But how can you say no to a person who doesn't know the meaning of the word? Especially when it is someone who can be as terrifying as Logan (Ben Kingsley). And he will do anything, use whatever word he can to recruit Gal into working for Teddy (Ian McShane) just one more time.

That's where the real interest in this film comes from, is Kingsley's performance. It's unbelieveably foul, a man with a demonic stare and the nerve to do anything to get what he wants, and a use of profane language that would shock a sailor. While the plot is cheesy, and pretty much a standard gangster rip-off, it's when Kingsley is on the screen, whispering and hissing his verbal assaults that make this one worth it.

Director Jonathan Glazer uses an interesting mix of lighting, the gorgeous Spanish coast, and dimly lit alleys and streets to construct this one. While the film Snatch did a much better job of showing the weirdnesses of the world of crime, this one is a sinister, nerve-wracking trip through hell and back.

None of the characters are good-guys, everyone has a bit of evil and a past that they would rather forget. For Gal and his family, they just want the quiet and sun of Spain. This is a film that is strictly for grownups, and pretty tough skinned ones at that.

There is plenty of cursing, violence against bunnies and human beings, a crashing boulder, spectators at an orgy, implied sex, violence, and theft on a grand scale. The suspense factor is high, and the dream sequences unique to say the very least.

Watch this one for Kingsley's performance (he recieved a Best Supporting Actor nomination for this one). The plot is fairly predictable, but the twists and turns of the story are what make it worth watching. The supporting cast is good, especially the two wives and Gal's friend, Aitch.

The DVD has a commentary track by the director and Kingsley, trailers, and a making of featurette. What was rather nice was the option to watch the previews of other films, or not, at your leisure, instead of just making them tacked onto the begining of the disc.