Worthwhile history lesson
- Black '47 review by TE
The best part about Black '47 is the way that it foregrounds the devastating famine in Ireland in the 1840s, and the brutal colonial exploitation by the English. This historical setting is well depicted and provides the mainspring for a good story.
In many respects the film would fit well in the Westerns genre: plenty of gun play, horses and moral dilemmas.
Unfortunately, about 20 minutes before the end, the action lurches off into unrealistic superhero territory, with one man cutting down large numbers of opponents, and the main villain having an unlikely change of allegiance.
2 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Grain of Truth expanded to Provide a Story
- Black '47 review by KW
Interesting film about the the famine in the 1840's in Ireland and the impact it had on large tracks of land to the west of the Country. Is the story an amalgam of various stories that have been handed down over the years and have been cleverly woven together to provide the story line with its depiction of life as it was and the callousness of the Government supposed by the army and or militia groups. The cast and their performances were excellent were excellent, with enough plot twists to keep you glued to it!
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Disappointing
- Black '47 review by CM
The setting of the film in the famine period in Ireland was virtually irrelevant to the story. I think Liam Neeson may have got his ideas for killing hundreds of people single handily in his Taken films from this.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Grim but thrilling,historically accurate.
- Black '47 review by SS
The film replays in a classic revenger's tragedy, the horror and cruelty of Ireland's potato famine.For anyone Irish, it's cathartic, for anyone who isn't, it's an education in the history and language of the country.Hugo Weaving is brooding and dynamic, an Australian who masters the language and character of the ex-British Army renegade, who expiates the guilt of the atrocities he has committed in Afghanistan in the Queen's service by visiting violent revenge on those who have evicted and murdered his family in Ireland.
1 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Sick anti-english propaganda
- Black '47 review by Jm
A sick and depraved piece of anti-English propaganda disguised as history. The British set up a huge soup kitchen programme to feed the starving (open to everyone regardless of religion) amongst numerous other relief projects. This film tells the viewer that soup was only given on the condition that the receiver converted to protestantism and that if you didn't convert there was no other relief and you were left to die. This film is made by sick people. Do not watch this disgusting film.
1 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Disappointing EU-funded Film which is close to nationalist propaganda
- Black '47 review by PV
This revenge tragedy could have taken place anywhere.
Cartoon character panto villain Jim Broadbent Englishman is the baddie - of course.
And why must they have 2 leads who are beardy men who look identical?
The stuff about Afghanistan is designed to tie it into modern wars and is very clumsy and tacked on, to be honest.
If you want the MAKING OF doc you'll learn the motivation for making it borders on anti-English racism. BUT who oppressed the Irish? Ah yes, the Irish. Socio-economic class was the issue and religion of course. AND the famine happened because ALL potatoes there (cultural appropriation from south America anyway) came from ONE mother potato SO a disease came and killed em all. It is biological. It may well happen again with the few varieties of crops we have now (most bananas are just one type, Cavendish, and there are many more examples).
The cast is great, esp Freddie Fox and Barry Keoghan, so one star for that.
A tax break Luxembourg production to, funded by the EU. Luxembourg is where hundreds of thousands of companies register to dodge paying any corporation tax. - Facebook, eBay, the lot. So no moral high ground there then...
2 stars. Just
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.