Two Tribes

Rating: 8/10 (29 June 2015)

In 1972 the British Army was still bemused as to how it had become to be regarded as an invading force when only 3 years earlier it had been welcomed by the Catholic community as a means of protecting them against Protestant aggression. The Marxist IRA had done its work well and the Brits were hated,despised and murdered if it could be done with no risk to the killers. The Army was embittered and resentful,confused as to its role . Bloody Sunday was a disaster waiting to happen in a testosterone - fuelled cauldron of mutual distrust and hatred. In Mr Greengrass's film the blame for this tragedy is laid firmly at the door of the British Government. The only innocents are those that died. Mr J.Nesbitt is superb as the Stormont MP leading the march to protest against Internment. As in real life,the moment the first stone is thrown all bets are off. The two sides confront one another,and not surprisingly,the one with the biggest guns wins. Over 40 years have passed and vested interests amongst Republicans and senior British officials have ensured that the truth will never be known. The film is chaotic,jagged,noisy and bloody.There is no time for reflection,again as in real life. As details of the casualties filter through,the senior RUC man - hardly a provo sympathiser - says to a clearly shocked army officer,"Is this what you call a measured response?". The truest and most significant line in the whole film.