During a seven-year stretch in pokey, he was trained up by two old lags in quantum mechanics and "the concept of the con."

Back outside he seeks revenge on the casino boss who put him there - Macha (Liotta) - who he humiliates at the tables in front of his goons.

However, Jake only escapes a sound thrashing thanks to two enigmatic dudes - the mysterious Zach (Vincent Pastore) and his partner Avi (Andre Benjamin).

Teaming up with them, he finds himself trapped a vicious world of dodgy drug deals, the Triads, mad Macha and the enigmatic master criminal Mr Gold.

Unconvincing (the plot's a complete mess) and verging on the pretentious (cue classical music during every portentous scene), this isn't the film to rekindle Mr Madonna's fading career.

Some of the set pieces - while ravishingly shot in washed out colours - sound hollow with not so much dialogue but a string of wise-cracks and potty philosophy tacked together.

The language is embarrassingly trite while Liotta and Statham - both able actors - struggle with characters that are strong on meaningless contemplation but short on authenticity.

You get the impression that Ritchie is straying onto Tarantino territory - but he doesn't have the razor-sharp wit and deft direction to lift things above the awkward.

This is one revolver that's gone off half-cocked.

Tim Evans