Opponents are as vocal in their condemnation of the movie as supporters are in their defense of it.
In truth, while Michael Collins does distort elements of history, most of the changes and compressions are dramatically effective. Certain characters are combined, a few deaths happen differently from what history records, and events have been streamlined. Perhaps the most suspect element of Michael Collins ' script is the negative portrayal of Irish hero Eamon De Valera. Without any real facts to back him up, Jordan hints that De Valera may have known about the assassination of Collins. Partisans of the late President will not react favorably to such speculation, even though, in the context of this narrative, it works.