'71 (2014)
A raw recruit on his first mission in Belfast, 1971, is accidentally left behind after a skirmish in the streets. Lost and seemingly abandoned he must somehow live long enough to get back to his barracks. A task made more difficult when he can never tell who is friend of foe.
A gripping and at times incredibly tense experience, particularly the opening half hour. 71 is a film that could never have been made perhaps even fifteen years ago such are it's political tendencies.
However at it's heart is a classic tale of a stranger in a strange land and the basics of a battle for survival. Extremely gritty and at times brutal, the action sequences are white knuckle thrilling but never over the top so as to be unbelievable.
Jack O' Connell, who i'd seen for the first time in the previous night's viewing of Tower Block is excellent as the lost and frightened rookie, a role miles away from the thuggish Kurtis in the aforementioned sniper thriller. His performance of vulnerability and finally strength powers the film along making the viewer really care as to his fate. A lesser performance would have seen the film fall on it's knees at the first hurdle and most likely disappear into obscurity.
That isn't the case though. 71 is a fantastic film and i heartily recommend it.
Incidentally it was filmed just 15 minutes down the M65 from me. Blackburn doubling for the Belfast locations.
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