to watch later

Hunger-720P

Hunger-360P

Hunger-480P

Before Steve McQueen came along, artists turned directors trended to be awful at the job like Tracy Emin (but she has always been an awful artist). But since Steve McQueen there is hope that artists can be good storytellers, with Sam Taylor-Wood also gaining critical success with Nowhere Boy. Here Steve McQueen shows his skill with a brutal tale about the Maze Prison and the political protests IRA prisoners undertook. In the early 1980s terrorist prisoners in Northern Ireland had their rights as political prisoners removed and IRA prisoners protest by refusing to wear prison uniforms, thereby ending up being *, and smearing their own feces. Prison guards have to use violence even to clean prisoners and clean their cells. One prisoner, Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) who suffers from the violence goes on a hunger strike to force the British government to give in to his demands. He would go on it by himself and was willing to die for his cause. To ensure that this wasn't a pointless sacrifice other IRA men would take his place other he died. As the strike continues Sands' health quickly deteriorates, with the British government standing strong against him. McQueen shows his skills very quickly, showing the brutal nature of live and showing the dirty live of the prison cells. It is grim but effective and you get the feel of what that live was like. He also shows his ambition, with lots of wide, continuous shots throughout, the main one being when Sands speaks with a priest (Liam Cunningham) about the morality of going on hunger strike. This almost felt like a stage play. McQueen also shows his artist flair with some of the shots, but most of the time keeps the film grounded to real life. Surprisingly McQueen shows a more balanced picture, showing a prison officer Lohan (Stuart Graham) is a human being, having to protect himself from IRA attacks, and having his wife worry for his life. But McQueen could have shown more, like terrorist attacks conducted by the IRA or British reprisals against them. I am personally a big critic of the IRA, seeing them as no more then terrorist targeting innocent civilians and now really just a criminal organisation. But despite my prejudices I was still gripped by the film, it was not Anglophobic or pro-Nationalist. An interesting parallel with today is with American treatment of Al-Qaida prisoners, where the Republicans and the Right in America want to strip them of their rights, torture them and lock them up indefinitely, whilst the Democrats want to treat them as what there really are, criminals and should have criminal trials. When it comes to fighting terrorism we need to show that we are better then sinking to their level. The film skips over the fact that Bobby Sands won an election to be an MP whilst on hunger strike. The acting is excellent, particularly from Michael Fassbender who is quickly emerging as a massive hot prospect. He is my second choice to replace Daniel Craig, just after Matthew MacFadyen. Liam Cunningham and Stuart Graham are also worthy of note. This is a very good film, and an excellent debut by Steve McQueen.

Mabey I don't understand this film. Or maybe I don't know enough about the story. Butt I really did not like this film. It's a miracle I sat true the hole thing. It's just so boring and it doesn't give you anything to go with. There was just so much open space left in all the scenes. Space where absolutely nothing happened. Life might be boring at times. Especially in prison. Butt I don't think it is anything like this. this film (like many other "artistic" films) gives a totally non realistic vision of a situation. A sort of "inner emotions" thing or something. Im surprised it got such a high rating. It has the probably most boring scene in the history of film. Where the two actors (who gave a good performance bye the way) just talk for 10+ min long without any cut. just sitting at a table. One shot from a distance. Absolutely no cuts. At a certain point, it was as if this shot was warping in my mind. As if it was so boring that I try ed to make it interesting. Like I would imagine a zoom. Butt nothing at all happened. Stil it was probably the most important shot in the film because it was pretty much the only dialog in the film. Like I say'd, I don't know much about the actual story. You would think I would after watching this whole thing, butt I haven't learned a thing. I don't think all films should be entertaining butt I just can't like this one.

Are u all kidding.. the most slow, boring movie ever... and that says a lot! dark, slow, nothings happened.. its like to watch paint dry extra slow.. and it seemed cheap... like the rented a ugly house and said.. hey.. lets do a movie that need nothing else then some police uniforms and skinny pale naked men! Stay away from this if u like nice political movies.. this one is very bad..... those who likes have maybe fall for the "if i don't like it " I'm smart pretend if i like it".... and by like it I'm political correct..... i just wanted the movie to end....... i have to make dots to even be able to pass this review.. because i cant find anything nice to write about it...

So disappointed with this film. Too much still picture and slow motion in this film and show nothing in depth. Only 10 min of conversation in the middle and rest are almost pure silence. However, the scene doesn't help conveying any important message. But the pace suddenly run so fast and you need to watch it carefully. It did give you a feeling of emptiness (feeling of hunger?), because it contained nothing. A good topic but a dreadful presentation.

1981. The H block in Belfast's Maze Prison. This film captures the development and escalation of protest by the 'political' prisoners held here as things moved through 'The 'Blanket protest' onto 'The Dirty Protest" and finally to 'The Hunger Strikes' that claimed Bobby Sands and eight of his compatriot's lives. As the end credits of the film show, the enemy, in the form of Margaret Thatcher was 'not for turning' and did not grant political status to these men that she considered no more than murderers. They did, however, lead to many concessions - bit by bit. This astounding movie falls into three very clear sections; the gut wrenching blanket and dirty protest; a long and deeply personal conversation (in one 20 minute take) between Sands and his priest where Sands is asked to justify and then walk away from the impending hunger strike; and finally Sands' ordeal itself. Each section has a different pace and personality. Each is desperate in its own way. This film pulls few punches. The stench of human excrement is almost palpable in the opening act and the way in which Michael Fassbender brings Sands' death to the screen is almost unbearable. But the real triumph of the film is that it takes no political sides and makes no judgements but does not sit on the fence. How? Because it invokes the viewer to do that themselves. Sands is neither a figure to pity or to vilify. It really is quite remarkable that the artist Steve McQueen can achieve this so consistently. And this is art with a capital A. Every scene is stunningly rendered. The pace, at times snail-like, allows you consider in real detail the situation these men found themselves in (or created however you want to look at it). Fassbender's performance is miraculous. McQueen though, is the star of the show. One scene in particular when the men slop out by pouring their night's urine under the doors of the corridor simultaneously is quite beautiful, as is the Hirst-like art that some of them create from their excrement (that's what makes up the poster image). Film of the year. No contest. Incidentally we saw it in the DCA's Cinema 2. What a cracking screen. (As we scoffed coffee and fudge doughnuts. How's that for irony?)

It is a story that needs to be told, but there needs to be more too it. They need to tell what happened before and after this, and during, in other places, beside that lame prison. There just wasn't enough substance. The guy swept the water in the hall for 3 minutes. And there where a lot of things like that just to fill up the time. I can only give it a 2. Please try again. Don't fill the thing up with a lot of long dramatic still shots of things we see every day. It's just too boring. If you believe in it, do it right, and make it interesting.