--- title: "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels" critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 9 reviews: 6 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Guy Ritchie’s crime caper, with praise centred on its energy, black humour and busy plotting. The favourable reviews find the interlocking schemes cleverly handled and the direction confident enough to give familiar gangster material a distinctive British character. The ensemble also attracts broad approval, while the music and camera flourishes contribute to a sense of fun that carries much of the film’s appeal. The reservations concern how much that style delivers beyond immediate entertainment, and whether the crowded plot remains comprehensible. The spread runs from enthusiastic to mixed rather than outright hostile: some critics enjoy the orchestrated coincidences, while others find too many characters and too little reason to care about them. Total Film singles out Vinnie Jones for praise despite finding the balance of guns and gags uneven. Time Out, by contrast, considers his casting lazy and finds little depth beneath the laughs and thrills. ## The AV Club — Joshua Klein Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2002. The critic describes it as a hilarious, highly entertaining heist romp with complex interlocking plots and carefully orchestrated coincidences. They single out first-time director Guy Ritchie's stylish yet substantive approach, along with the fresh and funny performances by mostly unknown actors. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels-1798195624) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic calls it the freshest and most successful attempt at a Tarantinoid British gangster movie. Ritchie and the cast deliver freestyle energy and bizarro confidence in a self-contained, original world. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lock-stock-two-smoking-barrels-review/) ## Radio Times — John Ferguson Rating 4/5. This cheerfully amoral debut from Guy Ritchie is widely regarded as the best British crime movie since The Long Good Friday and has a youthful exuberance that's truly infectious. The superb cast is spiced up with celebrities such as Sting and Vinnie Jones in a well-received role. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-e46i7c/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 March 1999. The critic finds the complex caper film fun in a slapdash way with exuberance and style, comparing it to Tarantino crossed with the Marx Brothers. He praises the sense of fun, the music and narration, and the plausible performances by some of the older, more brutish characters while noting the young leads seem downy-cheeked and the plot labyrinthine. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels-1999) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 8 March 1999. The critic views the film as a carefully constructed entertainment for people who like beer commercials, noting its director's advertising background shows in the flashy style with swinging cameras, freeze frames and slow motion. He finds it not a proper movie but entertaining in its caper elements and sanguine shootout. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1999/03/08/snuff-and-nonsense) ## Time Out — CO'Su Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The film follows four East End lads who get into debt with a mobster and hatch a plan involving a drug shipment. Ritchie shows skill with the camera and soundtrack but the casting of Vinnie Jones feels lazy and the film lacks depth beyond laughs and thrills. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 28 August 1998. The review finds the film a distinctive but uneven crime caper where Ritchie fails to balance guns and gags. It singles out Vinnie Jones' performance as Big Chris for praise amid mostly wasted cast and flashy indulgences. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels-review/) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin 5 March 1999. The critic praises Guy Ritchie's brash, ebullient direction that loads the English gangster film with welcome attitude and punchy flourishes. She highlights the skillful way the director makes a fine feat of macho gamesmanship out of four sets of East End crooks keeping outsmarting one another. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/05/movies/film-review-keeping-the-thugs-in-constant-motion.html) ## Variety — Derek Elley 24 August 1998. The critic notes the film has visual style to spare and lacks nothing in energy as a pranky, often entertaining but not very pleasant night out. He praises the snazzy technique and busy music track while complaining that the screenplay scores low on comprehensibility and audience involvement due to too many confusing characters. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels-1200454610/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic praises the film's exuberance, inventiveness and black humour as Guy Ritchie's debut takes risks and avoids pastiche. The fast-paced plot, strong ensemble performances including Vinnie Jones, and imaginative execution stand out as strengths. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) ## Den of Geek — Carley Tauchert Rating 4/5. 23 January 2010. The critic praises the film's mix of story, characters and pace, calling it one of the great UK gangster movies with clever storytelling and strong casting that mixes pros with newcomers. She notes it holds up on repeat viewings despite some roughness around the edges. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels-blu-ray-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels.md