Hunger

Searing Republican Drama, 11 November 2008

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom


The Irish Troubles post 1970 has produced a number of fine films, Veronica Guerin, the Crying Game, The General ,and The Wind That Sweeps the Barley amongst them. Ireland seems to produce more than its fair share of talented dramatists and Steve McQueen, in this his debut feature, instantly establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with on the silver screen. Unashamedly a Republican film in sympathy and viewpoint, McQueen's ability to tell a story produces a compelling, and visually stunning, piece of work. The work of Steven Bobbit, Director of Photography is integral to this success.

Critics may complain about the stereotypical portrayal of the Prison Guards and Margaret Thatcher. But this is not a history, and Michael Fassbender's dramatisation of the last six weeks of the life of Bobby Sands does offer a valid perspective on arguably the darkest days of the Anglo-Irish conflict. Sands adult life was undoubtedly shaped by a childhood of discrimination and conflict. Prior to the hunger strike he had a formidable reputation as a hard-line terrorist / freedom fighter implicated in shootings and bombings. His sister was involved in a fire bombing that went wrong and subsequently married Michael McKevitt, the Provisional IRA Quartermaster who was implicated in the Omagh Bombing in which 29 townspeople died. What transformed an unremarkable ghetto youth into such brutality is not touched upon, which is a shame.

The story of his death has a lyrical feel to it and his ability to politicise this is a matter of fact. In dialogue with his Priest, the morality of a hunger strike, his suicide and his leadership of others is questioned.This 18 minute two hander is the films high water mark, dangling the possibility of compromise, with us nonetheless certain of the tragic finale. Fassbender captures wonderfully Sands messianic, charismatic qualities. The "Christ" like depiction of his demise is controversial, when others interpret his leadership as more akin to Charles Manson or David Koresh, as is the Pontius Pilate like hand washing by a brutalised Prison guard.

Sound, silence, and outbursts of brutality and violence intersperse events in a mesmerising kaleidoscope of colour, grey, emotion and nothingness. The dialogue itself is quite sparse, but when it does kick in it invariably "says something" the hallmark of theatrical rather than cinematic writing.

Whilst Republican in perspective, it does stop short of propaganda. The brutal execution of an off duty prison officer visiting his senile mother in an old peoples home is as callously portrayed as any of the Prison's excesses. Although the physical abuse of the prisoners is difficult to watch, the inmates were not there for traffic violations, and the Prison Service itself was under enormous strain withstanding a vicious campaign of intimidation and murder.

A strangely beautiful, and certainly compelling picture of a dark period for Great Britain and Ireland. An object lesson in telling a story with pictures and images rather than words and action.