Sweeney 2

Sweeney 2

Company type	Film
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	1978
Founder	Tom Clegg (director)
Products	Action crime drama film

Sweeney 2 is a 1978 British action crime drama helmed by director Tom Clegg, featuring performances by John Thaw and Dennis Waterman. Serving as a follow-up to the 1977 movie Sweeney!, it also builds upon the ITV television series The Sweeney (1975–1978). Unlike the typical London backdrop, portions of the narrative unfold in Malta.

This franchise dramatizes the operations of the Flying Squad, a specialized unit within the Metropolitan Police focused on combating armed robbery in Greater London. The nickname The Sweeney derives from Cockney rhyming slang, alluding to the squad’s function.

The storyline centers on Detective Inspector Jack Regan and Detective Sergeant George Carter as they pursue a ruthless armed robbery syndicate.

Plot

A criminal group executing bank and payroll heists throughout London consistently absconds with only £60,000 per incident, deliberately leaving substantial amounts untouched. They eliminate anyone who might provide information, including wounded associates. Following the initial robbery, Regan remarks, "I've never seen so many dead people". Concurrently, the Flying Squad manages a secondary plot involving a hotel hostage crisis instigated by an eccentric individual armed with a bomb, later revealed to be affiliated with the CIA.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jupp, a corrupt senior officer, is compelled to step down amid allegations of misconduct but directs Regan to bring down the gang before his departure. Armed with gold-plated Purdey shotguns, the perpetrators evade capture, prompting Regan to chase them from London to Malta. Despite Jupp’s conviction and Regan’s refusal to testify on his behalf, Jupp supports Regan’s pursuit.

Cast

• John Thaw as Detective Inspector Jack Regan
• Dennis Waterman as Detective Sergeant George Carter
• Denholm Elliott as former Detective Chief Superintendent Jupp
• Ken Hutchison as Hill
• Anna Gaël as Mrs. Hill
• Lewis Fiander as Gorran
• Nigel Hawthorne as Detective Chief Inspector Dilke
• Barry Stanton as Big John
• John Flanagan as Willard
• David Casey as Goodyear
• Derrick O'Connor as Llewelyn
• Frederick Treves as McKyle
• John Alkin as Detective Sergeant Tom Daniels
• James Warrior as Detective Constable Jellyneck
• Brian Hall as Haughton
• Marc Zuber as Andy

Production

Sweeney 2 represents the second cinematic adaptation stemming from Ian Kennedy Martin’s original concept for The Sweeney, following both the 1977 feature film Sweeney! and the television series.

According to Barry Spikings of EMI Films, strong audience interest and the initial film’s success motivated production of this sequel.

The narrative explores themes of police corruption through Denholm Elliott’s character, mirroring actual events involving a former Flying Squad chief who was convicted in 1977.

Although it reduces the level of violence compared to Sweeney!, Sweeney 2 features increased nudity and stronger language, initially receiving an AA certificate (14+) upon release but later reclassified as 18 for VHS distribution. It remains notably more intense than the TV series.

Nigel Hawthorne portrays a bureaucratic senior officer role akin to one typically enacted by Garfield Morgan in the television show.

Several supporting cast members, including Lewis Fiander and Frederick Treves, return either reprising their roles or appearing again from the TV production.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin labeled the movie as outdated, pointing out that its recurring motifs of police misconduct and corruption were presented without depth or innovation.

The Radio Times Guide to Films awarded the film 2 out of 5 stars, noting that the performances of John Thaw and Dennis Waterman were hindered by a script that lacked the substance necessary for a feature-length production.

Leslie Halliwell characterized the film as a "slow, foolish, and violent" expansion of weak material that ultimately failed to provide a compelling conclusion.