“’71”
Directed by Yann Demange
Roadside Attractions
4.0 / 5.0 paws
One of art’s most majestic qualities lies in how viewing experiences can be shaped by real-life experiences. “Zero Dark Thirty,” for example, took the trials and hardships of war on both sides and injected them into a hardened premise that fit the mindset of practically every American, and it was all the more powerful for it.
But how will that film, which climaxes in the military operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, look in, say, 40 years? Will it be too specific to be rendered effectual, or will the boldness and immediacy of its dramatization hold out? “’71” makes a clear argument for the latter by displaying the terrors of war, whether fighting or living in it, in the most nail-biting, solidly crafted war film since, well, “Zero Dark Thirty.”
Set in the streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland during its titular year, “’71” places Jack O’Connell in the role of Gary Hoo, a young British soldier who is thrown headfirst into “The Troubles,” one of the United Kingdom’s most notable historical conflicts, which took place in Ireland. Gary is part of a faction sent to help maintain the peace throughout the unstable nation, and as quickly as he arrives, he is separated from his group, left to fend for himself over the course of one terrifying night.
“’71” is helped greatly by its lack of a centralized plot – almost like an anthology, Gary traverses from task to task influenced by the help, or threat, of individuals he meets along the way. An early sequence involves Gary running for his life through barren, dimly lit alleyways, and another has him on a makeshift surgical bed in two strangers’ apartment. Suspense and immediacy is high through these unconnected moments, with few hints of what dangers are barreling close behind.
For that reason, a lot of the characters in “’71” appear to be confused about what their ultimate goal is. “The Troubles” were essentially a political battle – there was the militarized Royal Ulster Constabulary, the Irish Republican Army, the less-dated Provisional Irish Republican Army, and others. These branches are all featured in “’71,” though without much mention as to their stake in the game.
That’s because “’71” is the kind of film that doesn’t need exposition to relate what’s happening. A lot of people are angry, and a lot of people are troubled, and it’s up to Gary and his unprepared comrades to help make things better, little by little, step by step. When Gary lands in Belfast, unready but determined to fight, and is told by his senior officer that he too is a newbie when it comes to armed battle, it’s very clear that this trip isn’t going to be easy. Thankfully, Director Yann Demange manages to guide the audience through the wreckage in a beautiful fashion, if not at a frighteningly rapid pace.
It helps that Demange was also able to court O’Connell onto his wild ride. After star-turning performances in last year’s “Starred Up” and “Unbroken,” O’Connell is slowly and carefully riding the wave of popularity. “’71” is the kind of film that will steadily support his growing fan base, a pack that comes to see the spirited realism that he is able to inject into even the most overbearingly violent roles.
That’s how “’71” presents itself as a whole: real, though overbearingly violent. When blood is spilled, and another bullet is quickly approaching, there isn’t time to mourn and consider reason. As political as “The Troubles” were, the film never allows for its terribly confused members to stop and think about the long-term consequences of what they’re doing. Nobody in “’71” wins or loses; it all effectively boils down into hellish chaos. That’s war – and as Demange accurately depicts, war is hell.
– Sebastian Torrelio