Review #879: ''71' (2014)

There have been precious few movies focusing on the Troubles in Northern Ireland - the conflict between the Nationalists and Loyalists that spread itself sporadically over four decades. The one film that comes immediately to mind is Paul Greengrass's deeply upsetting and infuriating Bloody Sunday (2002), and '71 shares much in common aesthetically. The grainy shaky-cam is omnipresent, and the violence is quick, ugly and brutal. Yet while Greengrass opted to let the true-life story tell itself and avoided making any overt political statements (though it's understandably clear where his sympathy lies), '71 makes a point of showing the many factions fighting and politicking with each other - often scheming within their own parties.

New army recruit Gary Hook (Jack O'Connell) says goodbye to his younger brother, who resides in care, before his battalion is shipped off to a particularly volatile area of Belfast in 1971. Whilst providing back-up during a neighbourhood search for firearms, Gary is separated from his squad after a crowd gathers and tempers start to ignite. Left beaten and bloodied after seeing one of his friends shot dead at close range by a group of Catholic Nationalists, Gary flees and must navigate his way through the streets armed only with a knife. As news of his disappearance spreads throughout the Loyalists, Nationalists and a shady MRF unit led by the creepy Captain Browning (Sean Harris), Gary finds his life in mortal danger from all sides, but finds help in the unlikeliest of places.

'71 is faced with the dangerous possibility of forging fictional entertainment out of a terrible, and relatively recent event, and coming out of it all looking rather insensitive. However, director Yann Demange, making an incredibly mature debut feature, is wise enough to cover the Troubles from all sides. Apart from a select few - including father and daughter Eamon and Brigid (played by Richard Dormer and Charlie Murphy) who take pity on Gary and tend to his many wounds - nobody comes out of it all looking particularly good. Every side has their own agenda, and it usually results in violence. And amidst all the chaos there's Gary, a young lad bewildered by his new surroundings and too inexperienced to properly handle the situation, finding himself become a political pawn as he fights for his life.

As a nail-biter, it's positively riveting. There's a moment that will make you jump out of your seat, but the action is never exploitative. When our leading man finds himself on his knees with a gun to the back of his head, his body convulses with shock and fear, elevating him from your typical movie hero to a real human being. O'Connell, though his character doesn't have much time between attempted assassinations and screaming in pain to say much, continues to impress following his breakthrough in 2013 with Starred Up. It's an extremely physical performance, and O'Connell is shockingly good at looking in genuine pain. Although it sometimes goes a bit overboard - the burning cars at the end of every street and the ever-present roaming aggressors make it seem like an Irish Dawn of the Dead meets Escape from New York - '71 will leave you exhausted, exhilarated and possibly more educated.


Directed by: Yann Demange
Starring: Jack O'Connell, Sam Reid, Sean Harris, Charlie Murphy, Richard Dormer
Country: UK

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie