LionsgateThe possibility of redemption which made Snow In Paradise a far less bleak movie than it could have been is almost entirely absent from Hyena, Gerard Johnson's grimy and violent thriller about corrupt police officers dealing with the arrival of a vicious gang of traffickers in England's capital. Hyena comes from the same tradition of police thrillers as Bad Lieutenant (a clear point of reference for Peter Ferdinando's central role, policeman Michael). While Michael isn't quite as bads**t crazy as Harvey Kietel's character in Abel Ferrara's sordid work, he's pushing close to the edge. Scenes including a drugged prostitute being mounted by an obese client while unconscious demonstrate that Johnson isn't interested in sugar-coating his subject matter one bit. Ferdinando carries the film for much of its duration but special mention is warranted for Stephen Graham in a supporting role. Meanwhile, the human trafficking butchers who wreak havoc are perhaps the most fully realised villains in any film released this year.
