'71

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: * * * *