Today’s quick review: Gangster Land. In 1922, Chicago gangster Al Capone (Milo Gibson) recruits Jack McGurn (Sean Faris), an up-and-coming boxer, to join Johnny Torrio’s (Al Sapienza) operation as muscle. What begins as a part-time job turns into a way of life when gang warfare claims the life of Jack’s father. Over the course of over a decade in organized crime, Jack makes a name for himself as one of Capone’s most reliable lieutenants.
Gangster Land is a historical crime drama directed by Timothy Woodward, Jr. The movie follows Jack McGurn as he transforms from an honest young man to a cold-blooded killer. Gangster Land does a fair job of capturing this progression, along with the highlights of the Chicago gang wars of the 1920s and 1930s. But in spite of its best efforts, the movie’s mediocre acting and low production values keep it from matching its competition.
Gangster Land makes an honest attempt to convey its subject matter in a compelling way. In theory, it goes through all the steps it needs to: Jack is a sympathetic figure, even at his most ruthless, and the story builds reasonably well to its climax. But in practice, the movie’s efforts fall flat. It avoids any major mistakes, but the scenes feel cheap, none of the dialogue sparkles, and there’s never a compelling sense of drama.
As a budget crime movie, Gangster Land works well enough. It tells the story it sets out to, and it avoids the pitfalls seen in some of its director’s other work. But there is very little to recommend Gangster Land over the competition. There is very little that’s unique about it, and even its strong points are outclassed by many other Prohibition-era crime movies. Most viewers should give it a pass.
For a more action-packed take on the same era, try Gangster Squad. For a more compelling take on Al Capone’s gang, try The Untouchables, The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, or Nitti: The Enforcer. For a more impactful story about a young man drawn into the world of organized crime, try The Godfather, Once Upon a Time in America, Gangs of New York, or Chasing the Dragon.
[4.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7241654/). I give it a 5.0 for an adequate story told without much polish.