Perhaps one of the most
startling things about '71 is
that it is the stuff of recent history: a dreadfully tragic and
violent past which many alive today still remember. The characters
and events in '71 may
be fictitious, but the film's setting of the Northern Irish Troubles
is a sad landmark in British twentieth-century history.
In
'71, the troubled
streets of Belfast become even more dangerous for the fresh-faced and
rather naïve Private Gary Hook (Jack O'Connell) who is accidentally
abandoned by his unit during a riot in 1971. Lost and with no way of
telling friend from foe, Private Hook must find his own way back to
the barracks and avoid the many who would wish to see a British
soldier dead.
Directed
by Yann Demange, '71 is
a taut and compelling action thriller, anchored by an impressive and
vulnerable performance by Jack O'Connell, an up-and-coming British
actor last seen in the visceral prison drama Starred Up.
O'Connell's performance is both powerful and engaging, and I'm sure
that we'll see much more from him in the future.
The
film excels in its threatening and unsettling tone and Yann Demange's
recreation of the bleak streets of Western Belfast, where burning
cars stand as eerie monuments to Catholic and Protestant conflict,
creates an almost suffocating atmosphere. Such an atmosphere, lit by
unforgiving amber street lights, draws the audience into the
awfulness of The Troubles and, in particular, makes the predicament
of O'Connell's character all the more tortuous.
A
wide ensemble of characters, from Unionists to Nationalists, and army
officers to undercover agents, are managed with skill by the
director, who cleverly orchestrates the cast into the 140 minute
running time and never allows individual situations to be sidelined.
Each death, betrayal and loss feels immediate and affecting. There
were one or two plot points which were rather predictable but the
performances, haunting cinematography and urgency of Hook's perilous
situation mute such concerns and result in a film which is powerful
and horrific in equal measure.
Aside
from well-crafted action sequences and appalling moments of violence,
the film's frenetic pace and dark thrills come from the pulsating
soundtrack from David Holmes. If ever a film's soundtrack could take
credit for the sense of drama on screen, this would be a prime
example. Although the events in '71 are
a result of intense and violent politics, the film itself is not a
political work and does not seek to comment on the politics of the
era or the ignorance of some who fought in the conflict (indeed, when
Hook is asked whether he is Protestant or Catholic, he tellingly
replies “I don't know”). Instead, its sole focus is survival, the
survival of Private Hook and his desperate attempts to escape the
hell hole of Belfast in 1971.
'71 is
a bold, thrilling and harrowing piece of film-making which never
releases its stranglehold on the audience. While its performances,
plot, action and score are all impressive, the film is at its most
striking when you consider its basis in very recent – and tragic –
fact.
Clapperboard Rating: * * * *
