"'71" (2014)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Superficially, this movie is a nail-biting thriller. The way it presents an atmosphere of ever-present danger is nothing short of perfect. I wasn't clear on the reason behind it all, though; you really need to know the history beforehand going into this movie. Wanting to shoot British soldiers on sight is one thing, but this group of Nationalists goes so far as to hunt him down: like, "We can't let him get away!" …Why? I guess what I'm saying is that, rather than conveying the historical situation to me effectively, it came across more as a simple manhunt story with the Northern Ireland conflict as a mere backdrop – albeit a really well executed one. I have to mention my favourite scene, though (spoiler alert here). It's when the bomb accidentally goes off in the pub. I love that scene not just because it's all done in one take and the soundtrack perfectly conveys the dazed and confused state our main character is in, but because, in the blink of an eye, the guy's back to square one.

My rating: 70%