I’m of the opinion that we’ve reached a saturation point for films set in the Middle East that happen to star USA army troopers. Been there, seen that, bombed a small village of women and children who were most likely insurgents. There’s more than one army out there, who were involved in various hotspots around the world. And for the British infantry, Ireland was a conflict that hit perhaps too close to home.
’71 sees Jack O’Connell star as Gary, a young English squaddie abandoned by his unit in Belfast at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Stranded in hostile territory, Gary must escape through the riot-torn city.
That’s a pretty interesting looking film. The conflict in Belfast was notoriously brutal, and the film itself looks like it can match that tension easily. It’s not your typical war movie, not by a long shot, but it certainly has enough elements to justify the genre, without being bogged down by patriotism. Throw in rising star Jack O’ Connell, and you have what looks like a decent political thriller as well.
Yann Demange directs, with an eye towards a UK release of October 10.
Last Updated: August 20, 2014
