ID2: Shadwell Army

Less a sequel to Phil Davis's ID (1995) than a variation on its theme, Joel Novoa's second feature sees Muslim copper Mo (Simon Rivers) going under cover to infiltrate the hooligan firm following Shadwell Town during their first season in Europe. However, Mo quickly discovers that its ringleader (Linus Roache) is a Special Branch agent monitoring an English Defence League bigwig (Neil Pearson) who is plotting to prevent a mosque from being built alongside the run-down East London stadium. Screenwriter Vincent O'Connell touches on issues like inner-city deprivation, institutionalised racism, ethnic integration and the foreign ownership of football clubs. But this always cleaves closer to BritCrime than social realism and contains its quota of stereotypes, clichés and contrivances. Nevertheless, the sense of place is well established, while gritty performances by Roache and Pearson are ably complemented by Christine Tremarco and Perry Fenwick, as a neglected wife and a cop-turned-comedian. Rivers is a weak(ish) link, however, as his embittered outsider is too thinly sketched to convey the necessary socio-cultural conflict.