HOBBIT Elijah Wood turns hard nut in this violent drama about football hooliganism.

When journalism student Matt Buckner (Wood) is unfairly expelled from Harvard he goes to stay with his sister in London.

Befriended by the charming but dangerous Pete Dunham (Charlie Hunnam), Matt is introduced to the passion, excitement and brotherhood of the Green Street Elite (GSE) - a hardcore group of West Ham supporters and one of London's most fierce football "firms".

Matt is intrigued by the loyalty and camaraderie of the GSE and is soon sucked into becoming part of this brutal gang. But there are years' worth of grudges and scores to be settled each time the whistle blows - sometimes with fatal consequences - and when rival firms go head-to-head Matt is forced to repeatedly prove himself as the tale of unfolds.

This is a reasonable film but there are too many similarities to Fight Club and The Football Factory for it to be fresh and exciting. Despite lacking the charisma of Danny Dyer (The Football Factory), Hunnam would be quite convincing in his role of gang leader if his accent was less Dick Van Dyck and more bona fide Londoner.

And, for a film largely based on backstreet brawling, drinking and yob culture, baby-faced Elijah Wood would probably not be the first actor to top the casting director's list...

MC