good intentions, poor realization

Rating: 5/10 (2 June 2017)

From a standpoint of an admirer of Irish culture and history, I will try to say a few words about this film. Firstly I will go ahead and agree with the one of the previous reviews on the fact that the events portrayed in the film are most likely true. However, the very film seems like a poor propaganda, resembling a few pathetic Yugoslavian communist films. It most certainly lacks constructive plot. Sadly, even though the Irish were on the righteous side of this fight, after watching this, it might make you feel that they weren't and they just tried to make things right with this film. Dialogues lack drama but doubtlessly do not lack clichés. Clear proof of this is a case in which Brits raid rebels' homes and in this occasion manage to call them by every single derogatory name (mick bastard, fenian bastard, Irish prick,etc.)
The director tried to adapt the tragic and heroic events from Irish history into a movie but failed hard to so. One time I watched Come and See (Idi i Smotri), a Belorussian film about WWII. This film left me with such strong impression that I wished to go out and kill a whole lot of Nazis. This is the kind of emotion that a good historical film should trigger. THIS FILM, HOWEVER, DOES THE VERY OPPOSITE. IT IS NOT WORTHY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL, POETIC TITLE WHICH WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN FROM AN OLD IRISH BALLAD.
You might as well skip this one, don't throw away 2 hours of your life.