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Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

The inspiration for the Canadian film "Dog Pound", it was made in 1977 as a television drama but was promptly banned due to its content – two years later director Alan Clarke re-made the film for cinema. In my opinion the cinema film "Scum" (1979) is far superior to the 1977 original. The vast majority of the cast are the same, and except for several scenes, the reduction of several sub-plots (such as the character Rhodes, who appears in the 1979 version but is never named), and for the opening sequence, the story and characters are otherwise the same.The story follows the journey of three inmates in a Borstal (a young offenders prison). Carlin, the principal character, has been transferred from another Borstal for allegedly assaulting an officer. Davis has been transferred from a more relaxed Borstal for attempting to escape, and Angel has arrived fresh from being on remand at Wormwood Scrubs (a prison in West London).The borstal is controlled by a harsh, unyielding discipline meted out by the unrelenting cruelty of the officers – who randomly beat and brutalise the young inmates – and by the viciousness and savagery of the inmate 'Daddy' cliques who run the underbelly of each cell-block.With his reputation of being a rebel against authority and a fighter preceding him, Carlin is singled out and soon has no option but to fight the 'daddies' and use his cunning to outwit the officers intent on victimising him. When Carlin emerges as the new 'Daddy' of his cell-block, the bullying suffered by Davis and the racial attacks suffered by Angel subside. As their journeys continue, alongside the journeys of several other inmates picked-up as the story progresses (such as Archer, Toyne, Meekin), the narrative focuses on the conflict between the individual and the system; how the identities of the inmates become eroded – how some adapt in order to survive the system and how others capitulate. "Scum" is an extremely violent and disturbing film which displays a no-holds barred sense of brutality and realism. Climaxing with a full-scale riot as the inmates explode and rise up against the oppression of the regime, the final question posed is whether or not the system can be beaten.

Well? With an attention-grabbing, little title like "Scum", how the hell could one possibly expect to be treated like anything but dirt when it comes to viewing this decidedly nasty (and apparently) realistic look at the reform school system (for young, male offenders) as it stood in Britain in the 1970s? Clearly filmed for its sheer shock-value and its focus on brutal violence, I find it really hard to believe that "Scum" was initially intended to be a 1977 Made-For-TV movie. But, due to its fairly graphic depictions of suicide, male-rape & racism, the prudish BBC flatly refused to allow its release for public broadcasting.And so, Scum was eventually re-shot by its director, Alan Clarke, and it then made its theatrical debut (much to the public's gasps & shock) in 1979.The positive outcome of bringing Scum's brutal story to the immediate attention of the general public was that serious and dramatic changes (for the better) quickly went into effect by making corrections to the dismal conditions that clearly existed at youth detention centers all across the UK.Scum's fist-in-your-face story tells the tale of Carlin, a new reform school inmate who's already earned a fierce reputation as being a very bad-assed bad-boy.The lousy attitude of the authorities in charge at this particular "Borstal" make no attempt to reform or improve matters for the inmates. Instead they actively encourage face-to-face power struggles between new recruits and the "old hands".And here's where Carlin gets repeatedly challenged by Pongo, the toughest, meanest gang leader of the whole miserable lot. What follows in the wake of Pongo's taunts and harassment I'll leave to your imagination.Yes. Scum is most certainly chock full of endless hate, racism & profanity. (And, yes, there's an inevitable "prison riot" thrown in for good measure) And, yes, Scum is most definitely flawed & clichéd like any other film you'd see about life behind bars.But, still, 35 years later (even for the ultimately jaded viewer) it still manages to pack a considerable-sized wallop even if one has "been there/seen that" a thousand times before.

Im a big fan of uk British films. Having missed this one i decided to finally watch it, the reason for not watching it is because i knew it would be to outdated for me, someone who did not watch this 20-30 years ago. I was right, to me it was a little boring and had a very slow pace for the first half of the film. Ray Winstone is fantastic and the acting is top notch in this from all but if your considering watching this for the first time now then expect to feel the same way as i did especially if your huge fan of British gangster films and hard hitting uk movies. Certainly worth a watch though. Just not as great as everyone makes it out to be... a little over hyped in my honest opinion.

This is with out doubt an all time British classic,this was a really good film a young Ray shines. if you haven't seen Nill by mouth i recommend that to, sorry its short but this is my first review and i am getting used to the site rules i would give this 8 out of 10. Another good film is Gangster # one.or the Essex boy's with Sean bean. or Charlie with Luke gos.all in all this is one of the best films i have ever seen.this is real British drama at its best.if you know of any better please let me know. i would love to see them .