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The General Review: By the time John Boorman shot The General, its subject had already entered the realm of contemporary folklore. A gangster killed by the police in 1994, Martin Cahill gets the full treatment from Boorman, who does an impressive job of explaining his way of life without excusing it, showing the desperation of his origins without glamorizing his crimes. He's assisted by a tremendously believable performance by Brendan Gleeson, who characterizes Cahill as a man who compensates for a doughy slow-wittedness with an almost scary singlemindedness. (One particularly inspired touch involves Gleeson's seemingly endless supply of shirts featuring risqué cartoon pigs.) Boorman's feel for urban Irish grit, black humor, and an evenhanded approach to his characters helps make the film a standout amidst contemporary gangland chronicles. Keith Phipps, All Movie Guide

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