A truly ground-breaking film

Rating: 10/10 (26 June 2006)

I feel this film is a momentous achievement for all concerned in its making. It works on a number of levels: chiefly in its examination of how the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War affected a small community in County Cork - which was typical of many such communities throughout the country - and it has echoes of imperialist wars, most notably in Iraq today. The powerful acting of the whole cast is most obvious; the artful direction of Mr Loach; and the spare screenplay. It seems quite a violent film, but actually the instances of violence are fairly rare; rather a constant feeling of danger or menace pervades throughout. This is a film to make all Irish people ponder on the birth of their state and the recent state of affairs on the Island. It should make thoughtful people question the role and consequences of imperialist military action in the 21st Century.