Taking place during one of Britain’s most landmark historical events; the Blitz, Steve McQueen takes us on an exploration of loss, kinship and courage, told through the eyes of nine-year-old George (Elliott Heffernan), and his mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan). Two people who are desperately trying to reunite amidst the chaotic and unforgiving backdrop of war.
Blitz, is unlike Widows, 12 Years a Slave, Shame or Hunger. McQueen does what he does best and pivots, writing and directing a film from a whole new perspective, and it’s good. George isn’t an irritating kid, in fact we come to care for him quite quickly, and even though we know better, there is a genuine fear that he might not make it home – or that his mother won’t be there waiting for him.
Visually, the filming has its stunning moments; the night sky ablaze during a raid and water crashing into the underground station where people are seeking shelter to name a few. McQueen also knows how to punch you in the face with emotion, which he does early on when George makes fast friends with a trio of brothers. Even the brief appearance of Harris Dickinson is effective, despite his primary job outside of being a firefighter is making puppy eyes at Rita.
What makes Blitz so impactful are the people that George meets along the way on his journey home. These people transform different aspects of George’s life, from helping him come to terms with his racial identity, to experiences of loss, cruelty and hope. Ironically, these characters that float in and out of George’s life, progressing his story forward, are also what lets the film down.
So we’re clear – the performances were stellar, Benjamin Clementine was an angelic sentry as Air Raid Warden Ife who becomes a father figure to George. Then on the opposite end of the spectrum is Dickensian thief Albert, convincingly played by Stephen Graham. Albert and his crew, who take advantage of the chaos caused by the bombings (for all intents and purposes) kidnap George and force him to help them steal jewels in some truly horrific ways.
It’s quite the kaleidoscope of circumstances George cycles through, culminating in a loss of innocence and increasing desperation from George to get home, where his mum will hug and kiss away all the nightmares.
Ronan does what she can with the little she’s got. Her character Rita, sings, works hard manufacturing the same weapons that will later rain down on her city, and marches around East London in an unnecessarily striking red blazer. Much like the cast of revolving characters McQueen has constructed from fact and fiction, Rita’s character feels disappointingly underdeveloped.
Understandably, the audience are getting a microcosm of life during Wartime London, from a specific point of view. McQueen has looked at the whole picture of George’s journey, from leaping off that countryside bound steam train to making it back to his Clifford Lane, but he hasn’t taken care to durably construct each connecting piece. There is no time given to breathe, to linger on George’s experiences and their direct effects on him, which leaves us wanting.
This isn’t a story about victory or closure; it’s about survival and the human spirit in the face of the unthinkable. McQueen escapes the enticing trap of taking his audience to the front lines and although there are no soldiers, no trenches and no mud streaking battlefield bloodbaths, McQueen captures the heart of war in a way that is equally as meaningful. Through the perspective of a child and a civilian and all those left behind and keeping things going, McQueen builds a community that is relatable to his audience.
Yes, fragmented and at times chaotic, but through Rita and George, deeply human.
Have you seen Blitz?
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