Blitz Review: Steve McQueen’s WWII epic is his most accessible
PLOT: During the WW2 bombing of Britain, a young mother (Saoirse Ronan) sends her young son, Georgie (Elliott Heffernan), off to the countryside for his own safety. Angry at being separated from his mother and used to being taunted for his mixed-race heritage, he jumps off the train to the countryside and embarks on an odyssey through a bombed-out London to reunite with his family.
REVIEW: Blitz wasn’t what I expected from director Steve McQueen. One of the most potent directors in the business, Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave, Widows and Small Axe were all dazzlingly well-directed, but there was nothing in any of them which made me think McQueen had a family film in him. Blitz, which carries a PG-13 rating, is his most accessible film to date, with it a soft-hearted journey through London which sometimes feels almost Spielbergian. While it’s not as good as his other films and is almost shockingly conventional at times, one can’t deny it’s an entertaining odyssey and an enjoyable, educational watch for young viewers.
I’m actually surprised that in modern times there haven’t been more movies about the Battle of Britain, with it a terrifying event that seems ripe with storytelling potential. McQueen’s film takes place through the eyes of young Georgie, who’s perhaps too young to know the mortal danger he’s in just being in London during the time of the Blitz. The movie opens with a chaotic bombing, as Ronan’s Rita struggles to protect her son in an overwhelmed shelter.
Moments like these prove its director is a master of immersive set-pieces, but the movie still often comes up short because the focus is too fractured. Some of it works tremendously well, such as a touching interlude when Georgie is befriended by a black soldier, Ife (Benjamin Clementine), who, for the first time, provides him with an inspirational black male role model. Yet, other parts, such as when he falls in with a gang of thieves (headed by Stephen Graham channelling James Cagney in White Heat), feel like they came out of Oliver Twist and are entirely random.
Yet, some arresting moments drive home just how dangerous Georgie’s journey is, with the cruel hand of fate not sparing many of the film’s most sympathetic characters. Elliott Heffernan is impressive as the headstrong and tough Georgie, while Ronan is excellent as his devoted mother, who works as a riveter for the war effort and is also a popular chanteuse. Harris Dickinson also has a nice part as a young soldier with eyes for Rita, who helps her look for Georgie and proves to be a true blue sort of guy. Paul Weller, the lead singer of The Jam, is likewise terrific as Georgie’s adoring grandfather.
As usual, McQueen’s set pieces are second to none. The bombing scenes are immersive and impeccably mounted, and Hans Zimmer contributes an intense score. It’s too bad Blitz will mostly be seen via streaming (it drops on Apple TV Plus tomorrow) because it was clearly made with a big-screen canvas in mind.
While uneven and surprisingly schmaltzy at times, McQueen remains a master of visceral storytelling, and while Blitz isn’t his best work, it’s perhaps the easiest movie to sit through that he’s ever made. With this, McQueen simply wants to entertain, inspire, and shine a nostalgic light on the everyday heroism of those tested by the terror of the Blitz. He does so through a unique perspective, and even if it’s not perfect, it’s well worth checking out.
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