Gangs of London is an action drama which tells the story of how Britain’s capital was torn apart by the power struggles of the international gangs that control it and the sudden power vacuum created when the ruthless boss of London’s most powerful crime family is assassinated. For 20 years, Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) was untouchable.
He laundered billions of pounds through his property business each year. But now he’s dead – and nobody knows who ordered the hit. With rivals everywhere, it’s up to the impulsive Sean Wallace (Joe Cole from Peaky Blinders), with the help of his father’s long and close associate Ed Dumani (Lucian Msamati) to take control of the operation.
If the battleground wasn’t already tricky, Wallace Jr’s assumption of power heightens the unrest among rival gangs. The one person who might be able to lower the heat and become an ally is the enigmatic Elliot Finch (Sope Dirisu), who up until now, has been one of life’s losers, supposedly a lowlife chancer with a strong interest in the Wallaces.
FAMILY AFFAIR
But as the wind of fate blows, Finch finds himself embroiled in the inner workings of the Wallace gang. There are parallels with Peaky Blinders but minus its trademark embrace of style and music. Like Peaky, Gangs prides itself on being a family affair, complete with Irish actor Michelle Fairley from Game of Thrones as the streetwise matriarch.
The nine-part drama is a co-production between Sky and Cinemax in the US. It starts on Sky Atlantic today, streaming on Now TV, with all episodes available for download.
Verdict: Fans of fast-moving action thrillers, who enjoy their feuds executed with Quentin Tarantino-like excess, will be in their element. Definitely not for the faint-hearted MC
