Review: Resolve, riveting gang documentary a compelling watch

I was really vacillating last Sunday night as to whether I really did want to watch Resolve on TVOne. I watched it. I'm pleased I did.

Writer, a fomer actor and director of New Plymouth, now living in Australia John Banas, has written a script that fairly bristled with some unsaid truths about gangs and their dangerous beliefs.

His script and this TV movie, a true story about New Plymouth man Chris Crean showed everything and told little. It didn't need to.

For instance at the outset where Black Power chaps are grizzling about some Mongrel Mob moving in on their patch was riveting.

The decision to get rid of the ''dog'' was frightening in its intensity but riveting in that on one hand you could well believe they were a bunch of kids in dress-ups knocking against each other in the kindy sand pit.

Yeah sure they looked evil with their facial scribbled tattoos, leather vests, filthy mouths and sneering faces. It was revolting to watch.

To the every day person it was frightening and evil.

You felt that evil crawling in your guts because you knew that what was coming was hideous. It was also brilliant, truthful television.

This was the Chris Crean story a true and wonderful modern New Zealand hero who touched the hearts of all at the time.

And the deathly reminder of the garbage here in New Zealand - the gang culture that somehow continues on a wretchedly sick blight on our landscape.

The heroic story of how the 27-year-old father Crean simply would not bow to building pressure and went ahead with God as his witness and strength to testify against three Black Power members. The three who had attacked rival Mongrel Mob members outside Crean's house. Crean was then executed by those gang members.

I found it very difficult to watch knowing what I already knew about the case.

I felt my heckles rising watching the old police prosecution chaps fighting in vain.

There was no video evidence in those days to keep integral police witnesses safe.

I'm still frustrated. Thank God some things have changed in our system.

Crean didn't need to die. To the all New Zealand cast and crew, bravo!