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Bloody Sunday 2002 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Paul Greengrass
R, 107 min. (violence, language) |
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Starring: James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nicholas Farrell, Gerard McSorley, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Declan Duddy
Producers: Arthur Lappin, Mark Redhead
Screenplay: Paul Greengrass
Cinematography: Ivan Strasburg
Distributor: Paramount Classics
Released: 10.04.02 (Limited) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
Bloody Sunday recalls the events of January 30, 1972 in Derry, Northern Ireland, in which 13 deaths and 14 injuries
were inflicted upon residents participating in a Civil Rights march by the British army. Director Paul Greengrass tries for
some balance in his re-creation (showing the event through the eyes of both sides) yet is clearly sided with the citizens'
version of what really occured. Although no one will probably know for sure what exactly happened, the body count speaks
for itself. The power of Bloody Sunday comes from the fact that it feels like a documentary, and at times the audience
thinks it's watching footage of the actual event. The ensuing devastation and shock of the community resulted in a bitter
determination that only served as ammunition for future confrontations with the British government.
The film covers the 24 hours that surrounded the incident, in which British soldiers opened fire on "unarmed" marchers who
were throwing rocks and shouting insults at them. The chaos that followed has been debated for years, but no real consensus
on who was at fault has been agreed upon. The night before the planned march, we meet Gerry Donaghy (Declan Duddy),
who tells his girlfriend he intends to participate in the proceedings and "be careful." Meanwhile, the leader of the march and
a Member of Parliament, Ivan Cooper (James Nesbitt), presides over the details of the coming day's protest to the British
presence in the region. At the other end of the spectrum is Major General Ford (Tim Pigott-Smith), who is determined to
take prisoners if the crowds become unruly, positions troops in strategic locations to advance on perpetrators.
It's a recipe for disaster. Although the march begins peacefully, it soon turns violent as a group of citizens barrage the
British barracades and provoke a fatal response from them as they open fire on the crowd. The citizens say the British
instigated the killings, while the British claim their lives were threatened by a riotous mob.
Greengrass has made one of the more gripping films in some time, especially for a picture that is based on a true story
that is disputed to say the least. The images he provides the audience are startling and authoritative, something that one
look at Cooper's face hauntingly proves. The film gains much of its gut-wrenching realism in the aftermath of the shooting,
when Cooper must confront the carnage that has been inflicted upon his constituents. He stands in the crowded hospital,
dismayed and in shock, yet has the courage to console the unconsolable. Greengrass puts us there in the middle of the chaos,
as confused as everyone involved in the tragedy.
Bloody Sunday is meaningful because it brings insight to an event that has been overshadowed by accusations and counterclaims.
Greengrass has brought the tragedy to light in a way that either side can appreciate for its overriding sense of sympathy
for its victims. And that, regardless of one's opinion on the event, is a consensus position.
© 2002 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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