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9

RoryP.Feb 1, 2009

This is a hard one to describe. First of all, this is an exceptionally well made film. I am surprised that It has not done so well critically here. I will assume it has something to do with its controversial subject matter-which perhaps is a This is a hard one to describe. First of all, this is an exceptionally well made film. I am surprised that It has not done so well critically here. I will assume it has something to do with its controversial subject matter-which perhaps is a tad unfair as it is accurate-and a finale which some argue descends into moving but slightly benign and closed martyr centric iconography- which is a far more valid point. I can see why people have such criticisms, but to be honest I cannot fully endorse them, mainly because the film is just so plainly overwhelming. Exceptionally acted, exceptionally shot and put together, it is an incredibly immersive, cinematic experience. It was one of the few films that i have actually sat, after the end credits started to roll, in the darkness of the cinema, totally bowled over by the whole experience. The second best film of 2008 in my book (the best being There will be Blood, which says alot of the the quality of this film.) The fact that it has been relatively ignored during the awards season is a travesty, especially when far less daring and affecting films such as milk, frost/nixon and yes, even slumdog millionaires are getting acknowledged. I am willing to say it if no one else will, they are all not as good as this film. go see it.… Expand

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9

JoeMMar 15, 2009

Steve McQueen has constructed a film devoid of politics and bias. Instead the emphasis is the bare bones of human conflict and sacrifice. We see the mundane world of tea trolleys and care homes spliced with the blind and bitter violence of Steve McQueen has constructed a film devoid of politics and bias. Instead the emphasis is the bare bones of human conflict and sacrifice. We see the mundane world of tea trolleys and care homes spliced with the blind and bitter violence of the troubles. Despite an obvious visual priority in McQueen's filming their is a poignant concentration on dialoguge, climaxing in the elongated discussion between Sands and his priest. To call the film trite is a lazy accusation, and is mistaking what is the most simple of human communication, emotion. A film of depth and patience that is vital viewing.… Expand

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10

drawkward86Dec 25, 2010

Harrowing, irreverent, fearless, virtuosic, inimitable, beautiful, unforgettable. Steve McQueen shows himself a true artist; in the hands of a more experienced director, this could have been a film with more technical proficiency and aHarrowing, irreverent, fearless, virtuosic, inimitable, beautiful, unforgettable. Steve McQueen shows himself a true artist; in the hands of a more experienced director, this could have been a film with more technical proficiency and a screenplay that obeyed the traditional laws of character arc and continuity, and as such, would have been another above-average movie about the Irish Troubles to throw on the pile. Cheers to McQueen for having the balls to make the movie he wanted. It's great.… Expand

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8

j1trainJan 2, 2015

At times McQueen focuses too intensely on the physical suffering rather than the politics and emotion, but as a visual work and a visceral experience it is masterful.

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8

raymondhJan 16, 2009

Far better film than some of the reviews would suggest. A powerful and painful film that shows the relativity of man's brutality, as it moves from victim to perpetrator and back again. The viewer inevitably sides with the prisoner, not Far better film than some of the reviews would suggest. A powerful and painful film that shows the relativity of man's brutality, as it moves from victim to perpetrator and back again. The viewer inevitably sides with the prisoner, not the state authority, without regard to the nature of the crimes that resulted in the incarceration in the first place.… Expand

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8

MarkJul 4, 2009

Incredibly acted, very long, uninterrupted two-character scene.

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9

ryancarroll88Aug 27, 2010

With "Hunger" - the harrowing vision of 1981 prisoner protests in Northern Ireland - Steve McQueen reminds us that art isn't confined to elegance and beauty, but can be as brutal and revealing as the darkest of reality. That being said, theWith "Hunger" - the harrowing vision of 1981 prisoner protests in Northern Ireland - Steve McQueen reminds us that art isn't confined to elegance and beauty, but can be as brutal and revealing as the darkest of reality. That being said, the movie is difficult to watch at times, but then again the questions it raises are even more difficult to answer - How far can a person push their limits through shear determination? If there is a God, how would he judge this self-deprecation for a greater good? Rather than trying to preach us an answer to these, the movie simply shows the events as they unfolded, all through a stunningly provocative camera lens.… Expand

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8

nutterjrMar 21, 2011

A very shocking film that depicts atrocities of prison to their extreme. Direction is bold and brilliant and so is the acting especially from Michael Fassbender. The film is not for the faint hearted.

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10

ferozJun 6, 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 theI 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.

Reviewer Rating: 5/5… Expand

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7

SpangleJun 16, 2014

Overall, a pretty good film. It is absolutely brutal to watch as we see the horrible conditions endured by the prisoners. In fact, it is almost too hard to watch at times and overboard, but certainly a very necessary watch all the same. TheOverall, a pretty good film. It is absolutely brutal to watch as we see the horrible conditions endured by the prisoners. In fact, it is almost too hard to watch at times and overboard, but certainly a very necessary watch all the same. The film is very artful, in particular the 17 minute shot of Bobby Sands and the priest talking, which is an absolutely brilliantly filmed, acted, and written, sequence. Throughout, the writing is stellar and the acting, especially from Michael Fassbender, is great. The only things holding me back from liking this more are the beginning, which is oddly confusing and unfocused, as we get very little explanation as to wgat is happening, as well as the pace. At times, the pace is deathly slow and it certainly took me out of the film at times and since it took me a bit to get into it anyways, that is not a great characteristic. Overall, it makes for uncomfortable viewing, but is very much an important film due to that brutality.… Expand

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7

ThegodfathersonOct 23, 2013

One of the duller things about discussing this film would be to trudge through the issue of whether it glamorises terrorists. It doesn't. McQueen's movie, starring Michael Fassbender as Sands, paints the hunger strike as tragic but quiteOne of the duller things about discussing this film would be to trudge through the issue of whether it glamorises terrorists. It doesn't. McQueen's movie, starring Michael Fassbender as Sands, paints the hunger strike as tragic but quite without tragic grandeur. It shows how dysfunctional and despairing the whole remorseless process was: how the Irish republican movement, angry and frustrated, chose to put self-harm at the centre of its mythology. The spear of the 32-county nation stabbed itself, in displays of passive-aggressive victimhood whose function was to motivate a new generation of fighters who would be every bit as resentful as their forefathers. The movie shows Sands himself as an intelligent, motivated man, but one who long ago hardened heart and mind to the consequences of violence. It's slow but effective.… Expand

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8

MovieClubMar 28, 2016

1981, HM Maze. IRA inmates refuse to wear prison stripes, starting a protest to attain political prisoner status. When it fails, one, Bobby Sands (Fassbender), begins a hunger strike. But is it suicide or martyrdom?

What is the grimmest1981, HM Maze. IRA inmates refuse to wear prison stripes, starting a protest to attain political prisoner status. When it fails, one, Bobby Sands (Fassbender), begins a hunger strike. But is it suicide or martyrdom?

What is the grimmest movie ever? Bergman’s Cries And Whispers? Aronofsky’s Requiem For A Dream? Wayans’ White Chicks? Maybe, but you would be hard-pressed to find a film bleaker than Hunger, artist Steve McQueen’s debut feature detailing the starvation strikes in the Maze prison that resulted in the death of Bobby Sands in 1981 (SPOILER!) .Yet this unrelenting darkness should not be held against it. For Hunger is a powerful, difficult piece that announces McQueen as a singular talent, and Michael Fassbender as an actor of note.

This is as far from bog-standard docudrama as you can get. In the early sections, as McQueen intercuts prison officer Raymond Lohan (Stuart Graham)’s routine and inmates Davey Gillen (Brian Milligan) and Gerry Campbell (Liam McMahon) taking part in a blanket protest, the filmmaking is strangely beautiful and technically stunning. Cells covered in muck are vividly evoked, Sean Bobbitt’s camera lingering over swirly patterns of **** McQueen punctures the languorous artsy feel with visceral handheld violence when Sands is brutally forced to cut his hair. Later, a shot of a prison guard mopping a urine-filled corridor literally lasts minutes.

The effect of this is to make Hunger’s central set-piece all the more startling. Around halfway through, McQueen gets to grips with the issues in a 22-minute locked-off camera shot in which Sands reveals his plan to go on hunger strike to Father Moran (Liam Cunningham), with both debating the merits and ethics of the protest. Despite bravura performances from both actors, the static camera, rather than funnelling your focus, feels distancing, creating a barrier to the ideas and emotions.

On the other side of this talk marathon, McQueen doesn’t shy away from the minutiae of Sands’ starvation, focusing on the bedsores and the prisoner’s withering frame. Some of McQueen’s lapses into religious symbolism towards the end undo the oblique approach of the first third. But, just as Hunger offers no easy pleasures, it offers no simple analysis, and delivers a gruelling, compelling experience. One you probably won’t want to go through again.

Anchored by Fassbenders turn, Hunger is as much about the personal as the political. The real breakthrough, though, is McQueen, who turns in a film that dazzles and challenges in equal measure.… Expand

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9

amheretojudgeSep 17, 2018

the reason why cinema exists..

Hunger Hunger is a character driven biographical drama depicting the inner Irish prison world through various perspectives. Let's acknowledge the elephant in the room, it's not an easy tale to listen to. Thethe reason why cinema exists..

Hunger

Hunger is a character driven biographical drama depicting the inner Irish prison world through various perspectives. Let's acknowledge the elephant in the room, it's not an easy tale to listen to. The meddled and explore subjects in here are not for everyone, it personifies the harrowing nightmares of each individual characters to a point where you start cringing on your seat. Amidst all these negative emotions, there resides a beautiful poem within it, which McQueen extracts out and paints this stunning craft through it. There aren't much verbal sparrings (and when there is, it leaves you mesmerized as it reeks of the old theatre acts to the core) in here, it is all acted out, it relies completely upon physical sequences and proves the explicit writing it contains. McQueen's world in here is "black and white", "0 and 1" and, purely opinionated where there is no room for "if's" and "but's", there is no diplomatic version that comes out of it. Its sinistes background score, the metaphorical cinematography and fine editing along with few jaw dropping shots that is a tale of its own, makes this feature rich on such technical aspects. Fassbender makes you writhe on screen with his majestic performance and flaunts his unflinching potential to carry it off such a craft all on his shoulder. McQueen triumphs on originality of the structure of the script, it is dark opera house that is equally glorifying as much as sharp it is. If it's heinous then it's because of the accuracy, if it's inedible then it's because of the honesty and if it's beautiful then it's because of the innocence. Eye popping art designing, poetic and jagged screenplay, McQueen's gut wrenching shots and Fassbender at the heart of it are the high points of the feature. Hunger is a rare art that analysis the allegory with heart wide open and points out the reason why cinema exists.… Expand

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9

ahmedaiman1999Apr 4, 2020

Boys a dear! This is definitely not the right time to watch such a gut-wrenching, brutal film. The combination of harrowing imagery with sounds that penetrate the senses is really something that creeps under your skin to send quivers throughBoys a dear! This is definitely not the right time to watch such a gut-wrenching, brutal film. The combination of harrowing imagery with sounds that penetrate the senses is really something that creeps under your skin to send quivers through your soul: it's specially made to make you feel what the characters feel. Honestly, I feel sick! That said, I think people really don't do this film justice by only praising its idiosyncratic direction style and Michael Fassbender's achingly astounding performance (only God knows how he didn't get an Oscar nod). Because what strikes me the most is how brilliantly structured this film is. The first act may be a bit longer than it should, and some of the attempts to strike an emotional chord amidst the sheer rawness and grittiness didn't pay off as they were intended to; but I couldn't help feeling that the transition from an act to another was just perfect: every act ends and paves the way for the next at the perfect time. We get to see what deprivation do to humans but in a most abstract way at the first act, we get to know that sacrificing for the others (by self-deprivation) could be the only proper way of rebellion at the second act and then we feel deprivation and suffer so badly with only the feeling of a martyr to compensate for all the pain. This is a directorial debut that only a true artist can make!

(9/10)… Expand

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5

royalguy07Mar 13, 2022

A brutal, violent, horrific film. disgusting and unsettling. Minimal context and plot. Maximum dread and disgust.

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