A wonderful depiction of Ireland's violent past

Rating: 10/10 (30 June 2006)

This film evokes the savagery of both the brutal British occupation of Ireland and the internecine violence and treachery of the civil war that followed independence. While it is not a nuanced portrayal of Irish life at the time, it clearly conveys the dehumanizing affects of violence and how in any conflict it is always the innocent who suffer most. The early decades of the twentieth century were a turbulent and violent time for Ireland. Nationalists were forcibly repressed by British soldiers who carried out many atrocities. These actions eventually sparked the War of Independence, which culminated in the controversial treaty of 1922. The film focuses on the lives of a group of rebels from the beginning of the War of Independence to the bloody events of the Civil War. Beautifully shot in rural Ireland, The Wind that Shakes the Barley features some fine performances. A must see!