• Release year: 2024
• Director: Steve McQueen.
• Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, Anita Overland, Michael Schaefer and Adam Somner.
• Screenplay by: Steve McQueen.
• Cinematography by: Yorick Le Saux.
• Music by: Hans Zimmer.

Shotgun Commentary: intense story, great acting, not a very innovative plot.

Review

Blitz is a narrative created through a compilation of real-life stories of people who lived in London during the beginning of the 40s, as well as a lot of imagination to glue everything together. The result is a high-tension war film that focuses and celebrates civilian behaviour, survival and community during tough times.

Clear and to the point

Rita (Saoirse Ronan) is a mother in her twenties who has had to bring up her son George (Elliott Heffernan) on her own after his father is unfairly deported. With the only help of her father Gerald (Paul Weller), they have managed to stay safe in a constantly bombarded London. However, when a bombing gets too close for comfort, Rita understands that George must go to the countryside, where he will be safe from the attacks. George doesn’t agree, which leads to him jumping mid-journey out of the train that will take him away from London. From then on, you will follow George’s adventures on his way back home.

The first scene depicts a group of firefighters trying to put out the fires caused by a bomb. This moment already sends a very clear message: this feature is not about soldiers or battlefield, it’s about the strength of the people left behind. That strength is showcased in many shapes and forms, some more obvious than others.

When needs must

The clearest symbol of strength is Rita. She is quite young, but she’s seen horrors before the war was even a thing. She is a single mother in the 40s with a mixed-race child. An incredibly complicated position to be in at the time. Nevertheless, she always has a smile for George and kindness for her father. She works tirelessly in the ammunition factory, and she never doubts to help and join good causes. All of that regardless of her mental state or physical exhaustion.

Ronan delivers one of the most inspiring female characters ever to be in a war period film. Despite the writing, Rita wouldn’t be as incredible as she is were it not for Ronan’s vision and talent. Her refusal to be an overbearing, exaggerated mother in pro of being of a friend, much like young mothers are to their kids, brings novelty and surprise to the roll. It adds another layer of realism. Not of the reality created by decades of sexist cinema, but the one audiences live in. The one with real women behaving like real human beings.

Good intentions and a fascinating child

Another type of strength comes from curiosity and naivety, like George’s. He is a child who knows nothing about the world around him but will soon learn more than he thinks is possible thanks to his arduous trip back home. Heffernan delivers a riveting performance that promises a bright future in acting should he wish to follow that career path. While it is still too soon, he’s made his talent crystal clear and brought the film to a quality level it couldn’t dream of having without him.

Gerald and his stoicism and Ife (Benjamin Clémentine) and his desire to bring good into the world also bring their own kind of strength. At the end of the day, the biggest horrors bring out the real nature of individuals. It is in emergencies that people finally look past stereotypes and prejudice in order to work together.

Survivor or villain?

Sadly, not everyone is fundamentally good. There are also those who do bad in order to survive as best as they can. This is what motivates a gang that steals valuable goods from the rubble, bringing a short Oliver Twist-ish narrative into the mix. The “villain”, Albert (Stephen Graham), is more than just your average caricature of a scoundrel, he is a WWI survivor, and he does his best to thrive in a world where mental health is not a thing and bombs won’t stop falling every night. Graham delivers a beautiful and chilling performance that stays with you despite its brevity.

All in all, Blitz might not be too innovative in its theme, but it is in the lens it uses for it. The omission of military talk in favour of civilian survival is what makes this story special and worth watching. The performances are superb and, best of all, most characters have been inspired by real people, meaning you get to see a slice of Blitz life as realistically as humanly possible.

Blitz will be screened at London Film Festival on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 18th of October, out in select theatres from 1st November, and streaming release on Apple TV+ from 22nd November.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Singing in the middle of the night while doing your rounds might not be the best idea considering people are trying to sleep before more bombs go off.
• Finally someone acknowledges that British racists are the same as Hitler.
• There can be lots of jump scares in a non-horror movie. And it is absolutely brilliant.

What’s your take? Have you watched Blitz? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀