Hunger

Debuting at Cannes film festival, the story of IRA volunteer, Bobby Sands' imprisonment, Hunger is certainly not for those faint of heart. Opening in an eerie fashion, with very little dialogue for the first hour of the film, Hunger follows the mass hunger strike in Maze prison in Northern Ireland in 1981 and portrays the determination of the human race in a grim manner.

Steve McQueen, debutant director of the film, received both criticism and acclaim following the showing in the Un Certain Regard class for young, up-and-coming directors at Cannes. The level of dedication to film-making becomes clear upon hearing that young Irish actor Michael Fassbender, portraying Sands, lost 16kg weight in order to portray the role in the most realistic way possible. 'I'd be lying if I said it wasn't tough,' he later said.





However, the bleakly set prison environment and lack of dialogue do not make this film special. That is left to the provocation of thought that it leaves you with. Dedication. Determinism. Death. Just three of the many themes this film portrays.

This is a special debut film for McQueen and developing actor Fassbender and fully deserves the standing ovation it received at Cannes film festival.

9/10

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dmVPCX0LxN8 - Hunger trailer