100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 79: Hunger

Director: Steve McQueen

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 90 minutes

Year: 2008

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham, Helena Bereen, Larry Cowan, Liam Cunningham, Dennis McCambridge, Liam McMahon, Laine Megaw, Brian Milligan, Rory Mullen, Lalor Roddy

Description: Maze Prison, Northern Ireland, 1981 IRA Hunger Strike, led by Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender).

Review: “Hunger” centers a recent period of the struggling relationship between the English and the Irish. The movie shows us the emotional and confronting final days of Bobby Sands, an IRA member on a hunger strike in the Maze Prison. In 1981 IRA prisoners started a hunger strike to make a statement, hoping for better circumstances.

The movie starts with a scene where a man is washing blood of his knuckles. He’s a prison guard and the tone of the film is set. The story focuses on him at first, but later centers on Bobby Sands. He is willing to go all the way to make his statement. The camerawork is magnificent, Steve McQueen’s long shots are amazing and really reach the audience. The scene where Bobby Sands is talking to a priest, is just majestic. For minutes long the camera doesn’t move and we witness an informal discussion between the two. This scene alone and the power of its dialogue, is worth watching “Hunger”.

The movie shows us, with confronting details, how low people can go and how terrible the circumstances were. Michael Fassbender is sublime in his role, his skinny body is shockingly realistic. De buildup of the story is good, as well as the acting and camerawork.

Rating: 4,5/ 5