HYENA

UK, 2014, 112 minutes, Colour.
Peter Ferdinando, Stephen Graham, Neil Maskell, Richard Dormer, Elisa Lasowski, My Anna Buring, Gordon Brown, Tony Pitts.
Directed by Gerard Johnson.

Hyenas can be seen as loathsome animals, animals of prey. It is an image for the central characters in this film about police corruption.

The film is set in contemporary London, initially focusing on a group of corrupt police who destroy a bar and steal money and drugs, afterwards enjoying them in the company of their girlfriends, but going back to work with strong reputations as effective detectives with solid arrests.

This provides a complication for audience response, the central character, Michael Logan (Peter Ferdinando who also starred in the director’s previous film, as a serial killer, Tony) becomes the focus, audiences identifying with him and his plans while, at the same time, being disgusted by his behaviour.

The film shows the background of drug dealing in London, especially with Turks and Albanians. The Albanians want to take over, have their own clubs, their own methods for getting drugs into the United Kingdom, dealing in human trafficking and prostitution. Michael Logan wants to do deals with them – but, unexpectedly, is seconded to a detail to investigate the Albanians. This leads to further problems for him, the squad being led by a past partner and then antagonist, played by Stephen Graham. There is also an investigator played by Richard Dormer who is antagonistic towards Logan.

There is some humanity in Logan when he is attracted by the accountant for the Albanians, who is the victim of human traffic with threats to her family at home, and is rescued by Logan.

There are some twists which Logan does not foresee leading to a brutal confrontation with the Albanians, a vicious murder and the hacking of the body, leading to Logan getting information by tape recorder and a confrontation with the investigator.

The film just stops rather than coming to a conclusion – a focus on the Albanians, Logan’s girlfriend, Lisa, and the Albanian woman, and Michael sitting in a car deciding what he should do.

1. A grim film about the underbelly of the London criminal world, Eastern European and Turkish drug dealers, clubs, human traffic, prostitution? Corrupt police, the connections with the criminals? An ugly picture?

2. The London settings, Queensway and the Internet cafe, the cover for drug dealing, prostitution? The range of clubs? Contrast with police precincts, offices? Homes and flats? The streets? The blend of the ordinary with the underbelly?

3. The musical score, background, its being used instead of realistic sound effects, for the opening smashing of the bar?

4. Introduction to Michael Logan, at his house, the audience focusing on him and his appearance, his driving, picking up his friends, donning the police gear, going into the club, smashing everything, bashing, taking the money and drugs? Their exhilaration?

5. The aftermath, the mood between the men, jovial, joking, drug taking? The audience realising the extent of police corruption, methods, motivations – and the irony that they were good at their police work?

6. Michael going to see the Turk, the plans, the money, the intrusion of the Albanian men, killing the Turk, Michael witnessing it? Taylor and his plan to frame Michael for the killing, fingerprints and DNA?

7. Michael, confronting the Albanians, their history in London after Albania, language, the brother who could not speak English? Michael and his threats, deals? Their agreement? The later consultations, the deals? Their offering Michael a girl for the night, his going, the sexual encounter, his interest in getting information about the brothers, going upstairs, the meeting with the accountant, the brothers blaming her, torturing her, her past history and being taken from her family, the threats to her family, her being sold? Michael meeting her, giving her the phone number, her taking it up, Michael rescuing her, installing her in the flat, with the help of Lisa?

8. The police, the local chief, trusting Michael? Michael’s allies, their behaviour at the station? Michael and his being transferred? Their reactions? The information about the marijuana haul? Their plan, avoiding Michael, their going to the storage, their taking the marijuana, the scene of their juvenile celebrations? Their arrest? Their interrogations? The decision to set up Michael? Keith and his saying that he was bullied by Michael?

9. The new squad, Michael’s secondment, David as leader, the past and his clashes with Michael, the grudges, the attempt to put them in the past? The discussions tween Michael and David? Michael and his going to the Albanians, the map of the drug route, the plans for a deal? The discussions with David, David entering into the deal, percentages, the going together to the Albanians, David denying any connection, everything being taped? The Albanians brutally killing him, cutting up his body for disposal?

10. Ariana, the phone call to her family, Lisa looking after her? The Albanians tracking her down, the phone call from Michael, the guns, the women asking Michael to come?

11. Michael, desperate, listening to the tapes, the confrontation with Taylor, the sequences of animosity between the two, the confrontation, and abducting Taylor in the boot of the car, going into the woods, the tape and Taylor’s trying to frame Michael, his plea for his life, Michael shooting him?

12. The film just stopping – and leaving it for the audience to create their own scenario, the focus on the Albanians waiting for Michael, holding the women; the two women, their vulnerability, their dread; Michael waiting in the car, making up his mind as what to do…?

13. An effective look at police corruption and consequences?