Hunger - 2008 - Michael Fassbender.

Dark and completely moving.

Hunger is a film that shows the final months of IRA activist Bobby Sands, who protested against his treatment by the British prison guards in way of a hunger strike. IRA volunteer Davey Gillen (Brian Milligan) is sentenced to Maze prison, Belfast. Like many IRA prisoners, Gillen is subject to countless beating by the guards, who in turn are constantly under threat of assassination by the IRA in their time off. As protests against Britain's refusal to note them as political prisoners begin to fail, IRA activist Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) starts a new protest. Sands begins a hunger strike that will not end until the IRA are seen as a legitimate political group.

Steve McQueen's Hunger is dark and completely moving throughout, highlighting the horrific conditions and punishments inflicted on the IRA prisoners as well as the constant threat for the British guards. McQueen's use of camera shots and editing are elements of the film making that stand out during the film. Not being afraid to, at times, let the action do all the taking and leaving the camera static. Contrary to this, at points during the film the sound and camera compliment the action perfectly, such as a scene where Sands has started his hunger strike and his physical pain is matched by the wavy motions of the camera and the sound of birds swooping ring out. McQueen creates an horrifically bleak and tormented atmosphere due to his superb film making.

McQueen could have very easily shown all guards in a terrible light, possibly portraying them as faceless brutes who want to take full advantage of the opportunity to beat the weak and imprisoned. Instead, the first time feature-film director chooses to highlighted the wounded and terrified nature of some of the guards, such as that portrayed by the harrowing Stuart Graham. This adds another dimension to Hunger, one which shows how these actions deeply effect a countless amount of people.

The film is haunting, and Michael Fassbender's performance sends it on its way to being so. Fassbender is magnificent, putting everything into the role, shown by his dramatic weight loss of 170 pounds down to 130. Hunger just shows what makes us human.

J.Henderson.

8/10.