Buddy cop films are back in fashion and this time around they have an edge.

After The Nice Guys starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling surprised audiences earlier this year, John Micheal McDonagh (Cavalry, The Guard) decided to add the grit with his take on the genre.

Moving away from his traditionally favoured setting of Ireland, McDonagh brings his trademark style to Albuquerque, New Mexico (about as far away from Ireland as he could get) for War on Everyone.

It’s here we meet the film’s anti-heroes; Michael Pena and Alexander Skarsgard’s corrupt cops.

Detectives Bob and Terry abuse their position on a daily basis, blackmailing their way to a more comfortable life. That is until the pair cross the wrong man!

Central to the film’s success is the chemistry between the two leads. Complimenting each other’s styles throughout, Pena and Skarsgard aren’t afraid to work the material they’ve been given and lift it to another level.

Although it’s Pena who is best known for his comedic acting skills (skills he uses to full effect here), it is Skarsgard’s portrayal of the dark and brooding Terry that is, for me, the standout performance of the film. Although Skarsgard was drafted in at the last minute to replace Garrett Hedlund, he has more than made the role his own.

It is a well known fact that a film is only ever as good as its villain

After years of playing the heroic Four in the Divergent series, Theo James not only shows off his dark side but revels in it. Sinister and threatening without ever raising his voice, it is the unpredictability of his English Lord, coupled with a deliberate lack of screen time. that makes him such a effective villain. You never quite know what he is going to do next.

Don’t be confused by my earlier reference to The Nice Guys, despite both fitting into the Buddy Cop genre these two films couldn’t be any more different.

McDonagh doesn’t shy away from the full horror of the violence he is depicting and the film not only makes you laugh but also makes you question whether you should.

War on Everyone is a dark comedy with a captivating lead pairing, effective villain and a deeply satisfying payoff.

E