Review of Hunger (2008) by Feroz — 05 Jun 2014

I would never know about the “Irish Hunger Strike” in 1981. The terms “The Maze” or “The Troubles” would have been unknown to me if I didn’t see the movie. For 38 years there had been many conflicts between the British and the Irish in the Northern Ireland since 1960. These conflicts are widely known as "The troubles". And "The Maze" is a prison situated in the Northern Ireland, where Irish paramilitary agitators were kept imprisoned. The prisoners started "Blanket" and "No Wash" movement as the political status of those prisoners had been revoked. For these agitations they are brutally tortured by the British Government. But never gave up. Their leader Bobby Sands (Fassbender) started "The Hunger Strike" willing to accept the consequence of this deadly strike!

Prison officer Remond Lohan cannot recognize himself in the mirror. The bruises on his wrists are humiliating him in every second. He is looking around for any rioter nervously. He is searching underneath his car if it is booby-trapped. That worried face of his wife says it all how a day of a prison Maze officer is elapsed. They have to be something else for doing what they do. They are not proud of what they do. They pretend to be happy and normal with their chitchat and jokes, but they are not.

The script which is based on a true story is co-written by Enda Walsh and Steve McQueen. I liked the story very very much. As director Steve did a great job. He was as precise as possible. He never tried to overstate or understate things. The screenplay is simply artistic. The cinematography is also commendable.

For me the is the best work of Fassbender. He pushed his limit for this work. His sacrifice and hard work for this movie is exemplary. Every artist did a fine job with their character.

Many renowned critics praised this movie and had it on their top 10 lists in the year 2008. But the movie is not as popular as it should have been. But the movie is not as popular as it should have been. It is because of its slow story development. But if someone starts to watch the movie for a while he will find himself lost in the movie. So the viewer should be patient and matured enough to understand the depth and appeal of the story.

The Verdict: I simply cannot express the caliber of this masterpiece in words. But I tell you this, if you want to know about devotion, about freedom, about sacrifice, watch this movie.